YSR Congress calls for success of bandh

Vijayawada: YSR Congress Krishna district Convener, Samineni Udaya Bhanu, here on Monday, called upon the people of all sections to make the Tuesday's State bandh a grand success. In a statement, Bhanu urged the people to participate in the proposed bandh in large numbers and register their protest against the power cuts and power tariff hike. The YSRCP leader said the State Government failed in handling the power crisis and farmers were forced to observe a crop holiday and industrialists were forced to close their units. While the ruling party had failed to protect the interests of the people, the Opposition Telugu Desam too had failed in discharging its duty in cornering the ruling party, he pointed out. Udaya Bhanu said both the Congress and the TD had joined hands in implementing the anti-people policies. In this backdrop, the YSR Congress had taken the responsibility of fighting for the people and the State bandh was one of the steps to mount pressure on the Government. He took a dig at the Government for not responding to the indefinite hunger strike of the YSR Congress MLAs led by the party honorary president Y S Vijayamma. The YSRCP leader said that the Government did not respond positively to the hunger strike except announcing some concession to the poor on power charges. Udaya Bhanu said that the hike in power tariff had caused 30 per cent burden on the industries which are now being closed across the State. The rice mills and paper recycling mills in East and West Godavari districts, poultry and plastic recycling mills around Hyderabad were already closed due to the power cuts and the power tariff hike. The YSR Congress leader recalled that late Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy had promised in 2004 and 2009 elections that he would not increase power tariff and free power supply to agricultural sector would continue as long as he was the Chief Minister of the State.