Seemandhra region continues to simmer

The Samaikyandhra agitation on its 13th day on Monday was further intensified in the Seemandhra districts, with stoppage of APSRTC services. In Krishna and Guntur districts cable operators stopped telecast of entertainment programmes. In Guntur district a total bandh was observed. In Duggirala traders stopped turmeric dealings.

Agitators brave rain
Guntur: Politicians, intellectuals and leaders of people’s organisations, representatives of NGOs, traders, daily workers and labourers joined the agitation, braving heavy rain on Monday. People spent a busy day at petrol bunks, banks and rythu bazaars. They apprehended transportation problems in view of the RTC employees’ strike from midnight of Monday. Onion price zoomed to Rs.50; it may even touch Rs.70 in the next two days. Train travelers faced hardship as reservations for long-distance journeys have been closed. No berths are available for a month. Private and high-tech bus operators have jacked up the fares.

Anantapur echoes with Samaikyandhra demand
Anantapur: The Samaikyandhra agitation in the district is picking up momentum. People irrespective of caste, creed and politics are participating in rallies and protests. The Telugu Desam and YSRCP organised a bandh on Monday. All business centers, banks and petrol bunks were closed. All 972 APSRTC buses were confined to the depots. More than 5,000 RTC employees boycotted duty and took part in the agitation. The Petrol bunks’ union announced closure in the district for 24 hours.All educational institutions will be shut till August 15. In Kadiri, Guntakal, Dharmavaram, Hindupur, Tadipatri, Kalyanadurg, Uravakonda, Singanamala, Rayadurg, Penukonda and other places, effigies of Sonia Gandhi, TRS Chief KCR and AICC leader Digvijay Singh were burnt. In Puttaparthi, MLA Palle Raghunatha Reddy along with JAC leaders took out a procession with bullock carts.

Lawyers protest in Chittoor
Tirupati : Advocates in Chittoor conducted a motorcycle rally to extend solidarity to the agitation. They shouted slogans against Sonia Gandhi and TRS chief KCR. Congress functionaries went on a relay fast which was supported by advocates. Chittoor MLA CK Babu visited the fast camp to extend full support. Teachers chalked out strategy to intensify the agitation by involving directly and bringing students together for the cause.

They met in a private school. Teachers MLC from Visakhapatnam Srinivasulu Naidu attended and resolved to support the agitation. Teachers assured to participate directly after handing over a strike notice to government. In Srikalahasti temple staff and priests joined the agitation and rallied in the four ‘Mada Streets’ holding Samaikyandhra felxi banners. The YSRCP local unit held a rally. In Piler cable multiple satellite operators and journalists took part in protests. In Kuppam TDP activists burnt effigies of Sonia Gandhi, KCR, YS Vijayamma.

Attack on BJP dist.office
Kakinada: Suspected Samaikyandhra activists attacked the East Godavari district Bharatiya Janata Party office at Ramaraopet here on Monday. They came raising Samaikyandhra slogans before launching the attack. Yenimireddy Malakondaiah, former district party president, rushed to the spot. He criticised the police for arranging tight bandobust at all places except the BJP office, including the Union minister’s residence and the Congress office.Former MLAs Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy and Manavadi Venkateshwarlu laid siege to the house of Union Minister MM Pallam Raju here. The JAC leaders raised slogans demanding Raju’s resignation.

Rajahmundry: Hundreds of Congress and TDP workers and employees took part in protests, even as normal life was paralyzed on Monday. Medical shops, petrol bunks, shops and schools were closed. The indefinite fast by wife of Thota Narasimham,Vani entered the third day in Kakinada. Thousands of Congress workers took part in a ‘samaikya bheri’ rally at Subrahmanya maidan organized by former APIIC chairman S. Sivarama Subrahmanyam.

The TDP conducted huge scooter and bike rally from Subrahmanya Maidan. The EPDCL employees took out rally from AP Transco office at Godavari bund. Patients, particularly from rural areas faced difficulties as chemists and druggists closed shops.ICDS women also expressed solidarity to Samikhyandhra by taking out a rally. The mini-goods vehicle owners association took out a rally and jammed traffic on Godavari bund and at Kotipalli bus stand.

District officials boycott govt. programmes
Kadapa: The Samaikyandhra agitation, already intensified, will now be strengthened with the strike of APNGOs and Revenue employees. District officials boycotted government programmes, redress of grievances and ‘Prajavani’ scheduled on Monday.They expressed solidarity by wearing black badges. The District Officials’ Union stated that it members would also take part in the agitation, as there is a need to keep the State united for the welfare of the people, employees and students.
The police stopped hundreds of farmers who were coming here by tractors from Pulivendula.The JAC leaders questioned the need for stopping farmers. The police took the JAC leaders into custody.Rayachoti MLA and YSRCP leader Gadikota Srikanth Reddy and former Kadapa mayor Ravindranath Reddy went on an indefinite fast.

People spill onto roads
Kurnool: Various sections of people expressed their ire over the decision to divide the State. Students, nurses along with citizens and leaders of various political parties, including YSRCP, expressed their protest through demonstrations. YSRCP activists, headed by former MLC S V Mohan Reddy, took out a rally from SV complex to the Collectorate and staged dharna there. Kotla Hari Chakrapani Reddy criticized Union minister Kotla Jayasuryaprakash Reddy for not resigning. He demanded resignation of all Union ministers to join the agitation.

Nellore in grip of Samaikyandra movement
Nellore: Slogans in favour of keeping the State united rent the air on Monday in the district. Students and employees’ unions intensified the agitation, after securing support of NGOs. Dharnas, road blockades and bandhs became the order of the day. The Samaikyandra movement is spreading to Kavali, Gudur, Nayudupet, Atmakur, Sullurpet, Udayagiri . People cutting across party lines are participating.

Leaders of the Students’ Joint Action Committee lashed out at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for favouring the State’s bifurcation. Meanwhile, differences between the Anam brothers were out in the open, with the younger sibling Jayakumar Reddy accusing his brothers--- Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy---of ignoring values cherished by their father and ‘selling’ themselves to AICC president Sonia Gandhi for power. Vivekananda Reddy registered an innovative protest by breaking into a Gangam-style Kuchipudi dance at a meeting organised by the Vidyarti JAC. Reddy said he was continuing as MLA to vote against the Telangana Bill in the Assembly.

Petty traders, hawkers throw hat in the ring
Visakhapatnam: Protests against the State’s bifurcation intensified with a number of organisations, including street hawkers, throwing in their hat in the ring. Protests here were spontaneous. People faced hardship as employees struck work. Intensity of the road blockades was so high that traffic was held up for over three km on the Maddilapalem-Zoo Highway.

Journalists, employees of GVMC and APSRTC took out a rally. Journalists played ‘kabaddi’ and danced on the road. Building workers and members of the Mini Owners’ Association held a rally and later formed a human chain. Telugu Desam Party MLA Velagpudi Ramakrishnababu conducted a rally and burnt effigies of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and TRS chief KCR.Arya Vysya Yuvajana Sangham performed ‘ksheerabhishekam’ to Potti Sriramulu’s statue. The Ramakrishna Beach Petty Traders’ Welfare Association and the Shiridi Sai Petty Traders’ Welfare Association rode camels and horses joined the rally.

Stir intensified

Vizianagaram: As the Samaikyandhra movement entered the 13th day in the district activists pledged to continue it until the decision to divide the State was withdrawn. Students, political leaders and Samaikyandhra JAC activists participated in various programmes. Cable operators performed ‘vanta varpu’ on NH-43 at Seetanagaram. Parvathipuram MLA Savarapu Jayamani and YSR Congress party leaders participated.Activists of Samaikyandhra Parirakshana Committee moved with flowers in their ears. YSRCP workers took out a huge motorcycle rally.

Lawyers took up a relay hunger strike. The RTC employees boycotted duties. Educational institutions in Parvatipuram and Bobbili were closed. Students formed human chains in S Kota, Kothavalasa, Gajapathinagaram and Garividi. A bandh was observed by Samaikyandhra JAC activists, disrupting normal life. Students and workers of all political parties set up mock shops in the name of ‘KCR chicken shop’ and ‘KCR ration shop’.