Police foiled an attempt by Telugu Desam activists to lay siege to camp office of Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi at Bapatla on Monday on a day when protests were witnessed in various parts of the district against the tabling of A.P Reorganisation Bill on the floor of the Assembly.
In Bapatla, TDP supporters led by local leaders were demanding that the Minister should express solidarity with the no confidence motion tabled by six MPs belonging to Seemandhra region. A police battalion rushed to Vivekananda Colony and dispersed the agitators.
Ms. Lakshmi has already made it clear that she would not support the no-confidence motion and pledged her support to the Congress. During a chat with media persons recently, she also reiterated that she would abide by the decision of the party high command.
In Guntur, Telugu Desam activists staged a protest at Dr.Ambedkar’s statue here and accused the Centre of trying to make little of concerns of the people of the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Official spokesperson Mannava Subba Rao said that the bill consisting of 63 pages and having 13 schedules has been hastily introduced in the Assembly by the Speaker in contravention of the tradition of the house. The TDP leaders also said that the MLAs belonging to Seemandhra region have been attacked on the Assembly premises and demanded that due protection should be given to them.
In Tenali, which is the constituency of the Speaker, there were no protests on Monday. The Police have already cordoned off the residence of the speaker when protests broke out last month over the bifurcation issue.
Former Minister Kodela Siva Prasada Rao is organising a tractor rally in Narsaraopet on Tuesday.
