Mangalagiri: TDP stages state-wide stir at petrol bunks

Mangalagiri: TDP leaders and cadres took part in one-hour horn protests at petrol bunks all over the state on Tuesday in response to the call given by party national president N Chandrababu Naidu. The TDP activists held banners and placards and raised slogans, criticising the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for not reducing the petrol and diesel rates in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister was not doing anything to provide relief to the common public from rising prices of essential commodities. The protesters kept sounding the horns of their bikes to register their discontent at the high prices of fuels.

The TDP leaders accompanied their followers arrived at the petrol bunks and staged protests between 12 noon and 1 pm. They demanded that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy take steps to reduce VAT on fuels without trying to mislead and cheat the general public in the state. People knew how the AP government was collecting over Rs 5 to Rs 7 per litre in excess on fuels when compared to other states.

The TDP leaders held protests at Dharna Chowk, Bhavanipuram, Benz Circle and other places in Vijayawada city. Former minister Kollu Ravindra, party state general secretary Panchumarty Anuradha, Gadde Anuradha and others took part. They asserted that their party would continue its agitation till the Government would give up its adamant attitude on fuel prices. At some places, police resorted to preventive arrests of TDP leaders and prevented them from taking part in protests. Several leaders were taken into custody in Kadapa district during the day.

TDP leaders took out novel protests by garlanding and breaking coconuts in front of petrol and diesel pumps. They sought blessings of the gods for bestowing good sense on the Chief Minister to reduce fuel prices so as to reduce the financial burden on the common public. In Tirupati, former MLA Sugunamma led the TDP protest at the local petrol bunks.

The main opposition party held hour-long protests in Gannavaram, Eluru, Gudivada, Rajahmundry, Tenali, Ponnur, Guntur and other places across the state. MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Choudary, former MLAs Alapati Raja, Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar and other leaders took part in protests in their respective places.