Activists from various civil society organisations joined the en masse deeksha organised by the ruling Telugu Desam Party here to express solidarity with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was on Dharma Porata Deeksha to exert pressure on the Centre to implement all the promises made to the fledgling State at the time of bifurcation.
“We waited patiently for four years in the larger interest of the State hoping that the Centre will provide hand-holding support to overcome the bifurcation blues.
But the BJP-led NDA government has belied all our hopes, said Ongole MLA D.Janardhana Rao, Environment Minister Sidda Raghava Rao and MLC Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy.
Associations representing journalists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, traders and workers expressed solidarity with the ruling TDP’s protest.
MPs, Ministers, MLAs and leaders of the Telugu Desam Party staged a day-long deeksha in Kurnool and Kadapa districts.
Telugu Desam MPs T.G. Venkatesh and Butta Renuka staged the deeksha along with Kurnool ZP chairman M. Rajasekhara Goud, who continued his relay fast for the second day, in front of the Gandhi statue before the ZP office.
Kurnool MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy, his wife S.V. Vijaya Manohari, TDP district president Somisetty Venkateswarlu, former Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy, Kurnool DCCB chairman M. Mallikarjuna Reddy, MLA B.V. Jayanageswara Reddy, Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, MLA Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy, SC Corporation Director A. Prabhakar and others staged the deeksha across the district.
In Kadapa, Marketing Minister C. Adinarayana Reddy, TDP district president R. Srinivas Reddy, Badvel MLA T. Jayaramulu, Government Whips M. Mallikarjuna Reddy and P. Ramasubba Reddy and others staged the deeksha.
MP plays Narada
In Chittoor, Minister for Industries N. Amarnatha Reddy, TDP district president Pulivarthi Nani, legislators and MLCs of the district, ZPTC and MPTC members and senior party cadres from various mandals staged the protest.
MP N. Siva Prasad donned the attire of sage Narada at Kuppam and enthralled a gathering at the NTR statue.
Former Union Minister P.Ashok Gajapathi Raju participated in the deeksha in Vizianagaram apart from Minister for Mines and Geology Sujaykrishna Ranga Rao, MLA Meesala Geeta, ZP chairperson Sobha Swati Rani and TDP district president Mahanti Chinnam Naidu.
In Srikakulam, Minister for Transport K.Atchannaidu along with MP Rammohan and other leaders participated in the protest at 7 Road junction.
Several officials, including Additional Joint Collector P.Rajanikantha Rao extended their support to the public representatives.
AP Revenue Association and Panchayatraj Association and other wings organised rallies in support of the deeksha.
Students extend support
In Tirupati, students and faculty members of universities and colleges vowed to stand behind the CM and the State's cause.
Members of TNSF, agricultural scientists and students of agricultural polytechnic expressed their support to the stir.
