The CPI, the CPI(M) and other Left parties have threatened to take out ‘Modi go back’ rallies in the city on February 28 and March 1, in protest against the alleged failure of the BJP-led NDA Government to fulfil the promises made during the 2014 elections.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, CPI(M) district secretary K. Lokanadham, city secretary B. Ganga Rao, CPI district secretary B. Venkataramana and city secretary M. Pydiraju said they would greet the Prime Minister during his visit to the city on March 1 with ‘Modi go back’ slogans.
Rallies would be taken out with black flags and the protesters would wear black badges to express their dissatisfaction over non-implementation of the provisions of the Reorganisation Act, they said.
Mr. Modi is scheduled to address a public meeting at the railway grounds on March 1.
‘Unfulfilled promises’
The leaders said Mr. Modi had launched his campaign in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 with the promise to grant Special Category Status for 10 years though the UPA Government promised in Parliament to accord it for five years.
“He miserably failed in giving SCS. Promises made in the Act such as sanctioning tribal university, port at Dugarajapatnam and steel plant at Kadapa have only remained on paper,” Mr. Ganga Rao said.
The most glaring instance was the denial of railway zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam, he said, adding the BJP, when in the Opposition, had vociferously demanded the new zone.
He also criticised the denial of funds sanctioned as part of the special package to the backward north Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Konathala’s letter
Meanwhile, Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika convener and former Minister Konathala Ramakrishna wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, drawing his attention to the promise he made to the people of north Andhra on the new railway zone.
Stating that the demand for railway zone was not new, Mr. Ramakrishna said the people of the region had been agitating for it for long. He said continuation of Waltair zone in the East Coast Railway badly hurt the interests of the people of north Andhra.
