The Seemandhra Telugu Desam MLAs have given a call for bandh in the region on Thursday to coincide with the last day of debate on bifurcation Bill in the Assembly.
The media was informed about the bandh call by Payyavula Keshav who also said that the next course of action would be decided on Thursday if the deadline for debate was not extended. The decision will centre around taking up an agitation in New Delhi or any other form of struggle. He added that the agitation over bifurcation had reached a crucial stage. In Vijayawada, Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal flagged off a rally of students and public along with Anakapalle MP Sabbam Hari. The crowd went in a procession from Benz circle to the municipal corporation stadium. Later, a public meeting was held on the Bandar road which was also attended by Ghazal Srinivas. Religious rites and cultural programmes marked another public meeting under the aegis of the joint action committee of engineering colleges in Tirupati. Students enacted skits and aired some light hearted songs highlighting the issues connected to bifurcation. A `homam’ was also performed seeking the blessings of gods to stop bifurcation. The Visalandhra Mahasabha president Parakala Prabhakar addressed the gathering. The TDP organised a rally at Seven Hills Hospital junction. The party leaders burnt copies of bifurcation Bill.