Bandh in Andhra Pradesh over special status demand

The buses of the state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) were largely confined to the depots at several towns in the state.

Main opposition YSR Congress party, the Congress, the left parties, mass organizations, students and lawyers’ bodies have announced their support to the day-long shutdown. Trucks were also taken off the roads and petrol stations were closed.

Backing the demand for a special status, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh has a lot of task to finish, like completing the Polavaram irrigation project, constructing a world-class capital, developing the villages and the Centre must accord the special status to help the state’s efforts towards development. They tried to prevent buses from coming out, leading to tension and arrests at few places. They are targeting ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for its failure to get justice for the state despite being a partner in BJP-led NDA coalition at the centre. Meanwhile, in the port city of Visakhapatnam, the bandh evoked a partial response as majority of shops and business establishments remained open.

However, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh stated in the Parliament recently in reply to a question by a member from Bihar said that the special status would not be given to any state any more.

M.Kamakoti, 41, who set himself ablaze on Saturday in Tirupati during a protest organised by the Congress over the special status issue, died at a hospital in Chennai on Sunday.

The MPs have also sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the demand before him.

This is why the opposition parties are more stressing on the special status issue and let us see, how far YSRCP bandh in Delhi, moves the centre. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had extended support to the special status issue during his recent tour of Andhra Pradesh.