Congress dharna in support of private Bill

Tirupati: Congress activists led by party district in-charge and former Minister S Sailajanath staged a dharna, here on Thursday, expressing solidarity with MP KVP Ramachandra Rao, who moved a Private Member Bill in Rajya Sabha on Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The Congress activists holding party flags, raising slogans against the TDP and BJP combine for what they called betraying the people of AP by not keeping their promise with regard to special category status, took out a rally to Nalugukalla Mandapam Junction.

Sailajanath said that the TDP-BJP combine has failed to keep the promise on Special Category Status, even after two years they came to power.

Finding fault with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for oft-repeated remarks that the State division was done in a most haphazard manner, Sailajanath said why he had not pointed this when the bill was discussed in the Assembly. “He always remained, evasive and adopted double standard on the issue,” he said.

Reaffirming his party resolve to continue the struggle till special category status was achieved, he dared the BJP-TDP combine to support the bill in Rajya Sabha if they really were committed to the cause of the State. Party State secretary Martin Luther, Mahila Congress district president Sridevi, leaders N Srinivasulu, P Mallikarjuna Reddy and others also spoke.

Meanwhile, the infighting in the city Congress came to the fore once again during the protest on Thursday with City Congress president Nagabhushanam and constituency in-charge Mabbu Devanarayana Reddy not participating in the protest.