The ‘Visakha Garjana’ organised in the city by the Uttarandhra Non-political Joint Action Committee (JAC) in support of the YSRCP government’s decision on decentralised development and three capitals for Andhra Pradesh, was a success here on Saturday.
Braving heavy spells of heavy rain since the early hours of the day, the rally saw participation of thousands of people, who marched for about 4-km from B.R. Ambedhkar statue near Daba Gardens to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy statue near The Park Hotel on the Beach Road.
Though the rally was scheduled to begin at around 9 a.m., it was delayed for about more than an hour due as the rain played spoilsport.
Folk artistes, who had reached the spot at the designated time, were seen performing despite heavy rain.
As people gradually started arriving at the venue, the rally began at 10.30 a.m.
TTD Chairman and YSRCP region coordinator Y.V. Subba Reddy led the rally along with Ministers V. Rajini, Gudivada Amarnath, and R.K. Roja, and former Minister K. Venkateswara Rao (Kodali Nani) and party leaders from other regions.
Legislative Assembly Speaker T. Seetharam addressing the gathering after conclusion of ‘Visakha Garjana’, in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
YSRCP leaders from North Andhra such as Legislative Assembly Speaker Thammineni Seetharam and Ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao and Botcha Satyanarayana also joined the rally.
As the rally reached the Seven Hills Hospital junction, there was a heavy downpour again. While a number of student participants dispersed, the YSRCP leaders and their followers continued the march taking cover under umbrellas, ‘Visakha Garjana’ flags and banners. A few followers walked under the rain raising slogans such as ‘Uttarandhra ki jai’ and ‘Visakha Mana Rajadhani’.
A number of YSRCP leaders and supporters, and students from a few colleges joined the rally at Siripuram and Chinna Waltair junctions. The rally concluded after the YSRCP leaders offered floral tributes at the statue of YSR.
A few YSRCP leaders said that more people would have joined the rally had it not rained.
“Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will soon start functioning from Visakhapatnam, which is going to be the Executive capital of the State”Y.V. Subba Reddy TTD Chairman
Later, addressing the gathering, Mr. Subba Reddy said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would soon start functioning from Visakhapatnam, which was going to be the Executive capital of the State.
He said Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, with a vision to develop all the regions equally, had come up with the idea of three capitals. Though there were a few legal hurdles, the State government would overcome them, Mr. Subba Reddy said.
Claiming that the programme was a big success, he asked the JAC members to design such programmes, and extended support from the YSRCP in the future.
Ban TDP, JSP, says Kodali Nani
Mr. Nani exhorted the people to ban the TDP and the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
He alleged that former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was not interested in the development of North Andhra as he was focused on the interests of his son Lokesh and real estate business in Amaravati.
“I have seen people from the Uttarandhra and Godavari districts migrate to Gudivada for work. Making Vizag the Executive capital can develop this region in all aspects,” he said.
Roja’s jibe at Pawan
Ms. Roja, adding a pinch of sarcasm, criticised JSP president Pawan Kalyan by saying, “Mr. Pawan Kalyan wants to marry a girl from Visakhapatnam, wants his movies to be shot and released in Visakhapatnam, and wants to learn acting in Visakhapatnam, but does not agree to make Visakhapatnam the Executive capital.”
The people of Gajuwaka were very clear in their mind, she said, and appreciated them for not allowing Mr. Pawan Kalyan to win in the 2019 Assembly elections.
Mr. Seetharam, Mr. Prasada Rao and Ms. Rajini appealed to the people to take the agitation forward until the three capitals demand was achieved.
MPs M.V.V. Satyanarayana, B.V. Satyavathi and G. Eswari, and MLAs M. Srinivasa Rao, K. Dharmasri, A. Adeep Raj, and V. Ganesh were among others present.
