Highway blockade for Special Category Status affects traffic

Chittoor: Demanding Special Category Status (SCS) to the Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Left parties organised highway blockade across the district on Thursday, affecting the traffic.

In Chittoor city, political leaders have sat on Chennai-Vijayawada national highway near the Collectorate resulting stranded of vehicles in large number passing towards Tirupati, Bengaluru, Chennai, Vellore and Kadapa.

The protestors raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Addressing the agitators, YSRCP district convenor J Srinivasulu came down heavily on the Chief Minister for changing his stand on SCS in the last four years by colluding with the BJP-led NDA government. He reiterated that YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy never compromised on SCS.

CPI city secretary Nagarajan stressed that all the political parties should join hands for achieving special status to the state. He maintained that people would teach a befitting lesson to Chandrababu Naidu in the next elections as TDP had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

District Congress leader Sekhar, Jana Sena leader Manohar and others also spoke. The cops in large number were deployed to prevent untoward incidents. Passengers travelling in buses to various destinations have faced inconvenience, waiting on the road in scorching heat.

Tirupati: Highway blockade was organised in temple city by leaders and workers of YSRCP, Congress and Left parties in support of SCS. YSRCP state general secretary and former MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy led the highway blockade in the city.

The CPM activists under the leadership of party district secretary A Pullaiah and CITU leader K Murali staged a protest on highway for more than one hour near Oteru village. The CPM workers played Kabaddi game on highway for fun near Tanapalli crossroads. Students led by YSRCP district youth wing president Hariprasad Reddy staged a stir on Chittoor-Tirupati highway by burning the tyres. Highway blockade was also organised at Piler, Palamaner and Srikalahasti. The cops arrested the protesting leaders and shifted them to nearby police stations.

Nellore: The YSRCP, Congress and Left parties organised a protest on the National Highway-16 blocking the traffic across the district on Thursday. In Nellore city, YSRCP leaders led by city MLA Dr P Anil Kumar Yadav and CPI, CPM and Congress leaders obstructed the movement of vehicles on the highway at Bujabuja Nellore. Scuffles broke out between the Left party leaders and the police personnel.

Meanwhile, the cops took YSRCP and Left leaders into their custody. In Venkatachalam mandal, YSRCP leaders and activists led by Sarvepalli MLA and YSRCP district convener Kakani Govardhan Reddy blocked the highway at Venkatachalam crossroads.

Policemen took Govardhan Reddy into their custody for blocking the traffic for an hour on the national highway. Govardhan Reddy alleged that the ruling TDP had deceived people disregarding crucial status to the state that bestows many benefits. Chandrababu Naidu had agreed for special Package in the place of the status, he added.

Similar protests were held in Kovur, Atmakur, Sullrupeta, Kavali, Gudur, Naidupeta, Duttalur, Udayagiri and in Venkatagiri. Meanwhile, the TDP leaders organised a Deeksha demanding special status to AP in Kota mandal headquarters.

Kadapa: Workers belonging to YSRCP, Congress and Left parties organised highway blockade on Thursday, seeking SCS to AP. Speaking on the occasion, CPI district secretary N Eswaraiah gave a call to people to join the protest for achieving special status to AP.

Describing the SCS movement as another independent struggle, YSRCP Rajampet MP Mithun Reddy said that the Modi government would be compelled to grant special status to the state if political parties intensify the agitation with the same temperament. However, no untoward incidents were reported during blockade.