Picketing of the residences of Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao and P. Balaraju in the city, holding up of traffic at some junctions, dharnas and rallies marked the second day of the Seemandhra bandh observed in the city on Thursday.
Most of the schools in the city declared a holiday on Thursday and Friday also. Some educational institutions, however, functioned normally on Thursday. Some of the shops downed their shutters voluntarily.
Dharnas and protests were held on Andhra University campus on Thursday also even as Student JAC leaders continued with their fast on Thursday.
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TDP urban district coordination committee, led by TDP urban district president Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, called on the fasting leaders and expressed solidarity with them.
Protests were held under the aegis of Samaikhyandhra Student JAC and AP NGOs’ Association at the residences of the Ministers.
The protesters raised slogans demanding resignation of the Ministers from Seemandhra and rollback of the decision to divide the state. JAC leader Adari Kishore and some others were arrested by the police.
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YSR Congress leaders staged a protest at the Gandhi statue at Asilametta and at the party office deploring the decision to divide the state for political gains.
The Samaikhyandhra Political JAC under the leadership of J.T. Rama Rao organised a protest at Jagadamba junction.
The Samaikhyandhra State Electricity Employees JAC leaders staged a dharna opposite the corporate office of EPDCL at Seethammadhara and raised slogans denouncing division of the state. A rally was taken out by NGOs on the banner of AP NGOs’ Association from the Zilla Parishad to the Collector’s Office.
Emergency meeting
An emergency meeting was conducted by the National Mazdoor Union (NMU) of APSRTC in which it was decided to intensify the agitation for keeping the state united. NMU State joint secretary Y. Srinivasa Rao spoke.