Thousands of YCP activists attend swearing in ceremony

Vijayawada: Thousands of YCP functionaries, supporters and fans stormed Vijayawada city since early morning to attend the swearing ceremony of the YS Jaganmohan Reddy as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. The event was held in a simple manner at IGMC stadium amidst the jubilation of Party workers and fans of Jaganmohan Reddy.

The most important road of the city, MG road which connects all parts of the city was blocked as the venue IGMC stadium was located on MG road. The road has been over crowded with people as thousands of fans could not enter into the stadium.

Top hotels in the city located on M G Road were seen booked. Governor ESL Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and DMK chief Stalin were given accommodation in hotels on the MG road. All the VIPs, MLAs, party leaders and their followers flooded the road. Consequently, the police kept vigil till afternoon and traffic was blocked several since morning.

The police imposed traffic deviations and restrictions in many parts of the city for smooth conduct of the occasion. With more than a lakh visitors were expected to witness the occasion in the city, buses and four wheelers, which were travelling via Vijayawada national highways, were diverted.

On the other hand, all hotel rooms in the city were booked for days as leaders and activists stayed in the hotels. A few hotels took the advantage of the situation and had increased the tariff. Public places like APSRTC Bus station and Vijayawada Railway Station, Besant road were packed with crowd since morning to afternoon.

Many families had a tough time in the city and could not attend the functions of their beloved ones within the stipulated time. Since May 30, was an auspicious day, many events like weddings and house warming ceremonies were organised and they invited the guests.

With traffic diversions and restrictions in and around the city, there was less than 25 per cent of the people who attended the occasion said Samuel relative of the bride. He said there are no hotel rooms available for the relatives to stay. He said a few of the close kin were struck as the buses were stopped or diverted on the outskirts of the city. Finding an alternative means of transport became a difficult task, he added.

Some cab and auto drivers took the advantage to squeeze money from people who had emergency travel programme. People felt the hot summer as they have to go a long way to reach their vehicles, which were parked in the specific parking places suggested by the traffic police. The city got back to normalcy in the evening as thousands of YCP supporters and workers departed from the city after joyful moments at the IGMC stadium.