Congress MP from Vijayawada, Lagadapati Rajagopal, tasted the wrath of APSRTC workers agitating for Samaikyandhra at a strike camp in front of Panchayat Raj Guest House on Wednesday.
Leaders of various organisations participating in the ‘Samaikyandhra’ agitation under the banner of APNGOs Joint Action Committee are upset with people’s representatives for what they call their ‘double standards’ on the Telangana issue.
They have been demanding ‘unwavering’ support of political parties to the cause of ‘Samaikyandhra’ which doesn’t seem to be forthcoming.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Rajagopal walked in at around 12 noon at the strike camp where nearly 1,000-odd RTC workers had been agitating in support of their demand for a united State.
His offer to express solidarity with the striking workers was met with slogans of ‘go back Lagadapati’. Angry women gave him bangles and flowers, a reminder of how people’s representatives had let down people of the Seemandhra region.
Ignoring RTC union leaders who wanted him to leave the place and come back only after he resigned to his post, the MP went and sat amidst the workers.
His act further stoked their anger. As tempers ran high, the MP left the shamiyana only to squat on a road divider bang opposite the strike camp.
The infuriated RTC workers encircled him and raised slogans against him. After almost an hour-long drama that necessitated police to rush to the spot, the MP left the place after assuring the union leaders that he would ‘soon’ join the ‘direct’ agitation for ‘samaikyandhra’ spearheaded by APNGOs JAC.
