With YSR Congress honorary president Y.S. Vijayalakshmi and Telugu Desam Party Mylavaram MLA Devineni Umamaheswara Rao gearing up to launch indefinite fast urging the UPA government to keep the State united, the police stepped up vigil in the city.
Mr. Rao, who is also the party Krishna district TDP president, announced that he would launch indefinite fast near hotel D.V. Manor, on Bandar Road, from August 17, while YSRC leaders said that Ms.Vijayalakshmi would observe indefinite fast near Chennupati Petrol Bunk on M.G. Road from August 19.
Election code
City Police Commissioner B. Srinivasulu in an official letter said that protests and fasts were banned as the Election Code of Conduct was in force in the entire district for Avanigadda by-elections, scheduled to be held on August 21.
Police stepped up security as the Opposition parties have planned to intensify agitation for a unified State. Additional forces were pressed into service to prevent any untoward incident.
Speaking to The Hindu on Friday, the City Police Commissioner said that TDP and YSRC leaders applied for permission for organising ‘deekshas’. The letters were sent for Election Commission of India (ECI) for clarification, he said.
Meanwhile, the party activists are making arrangements for the ‘deekshas’ at the venues. The City Police Commissioner directed the police to keep a tab on trouble mongers in the ongoing agitations.
He instructed the Assistant Commissioners of Police, Station House Officers to arrange round-the-clock patrolling and act tough against those who tried to disrupt peace.
