The bandh called by the Opposition Telugu Desam Party to protest against the attacks on the party offices in the State on Wednesday was partial.
Alleging that TDP official spokesman K. Pattabhiram had made objectionable comments and used unparliamentary language against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over the drugs seizure issue, unidentified miscreants attacked the TDP offices and the houses of some party leaders.
Criticising the attacks, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu gave a bandh call on Wednesday. Responding to the call, the Opposition party leaders tried to stop APSRTC buses, close educational institutions, shops, hotels and other establishments.
Many TDP leaders and activists were taken into preventive custody, and a few were kept under house detention. Police shifted the protestors to police stations in some places.
Former Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao was taken into custody at Gollapudi in Vijayawada, former Government Whip Chintamaneni Prabhakar was reportedly kept under house detention in West Godavari district. Several Opposition party leaders were confined to their homes since Tuesday night, in wake of the bandh.
Police arranged tight security at Chief Minister’s camp office, residence of the Leader of the Opposition, Ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs houses, party offices and other important places.
Additional forces had been deployed at bus and railway stations and at all government offices across the State as a precautionary measure.
Activists of YSRCP staged dharnas at many districts condemning the language used by the TDP official spokesman.
Police forces were deployed at Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Eluru, Gudivada, Jangareddygudem, Machilipatnam, Jaggaiahpet, Nuzvid and other bus stations. Banks, cinema halls and government offices functioned as usual.
