TDP calls for statewide agitation

The Telugu Desam Party will on Thursday hold a statewide peaceful protest in the support of party MPs' agitation in the Parliament.

Calling for the agitation, TDP Andhra Pradesh unit president K. Kala Venkatrao in a teleconference with MPs, MLAs, MLCs, in-charges and other party leaders told them to sit on demonstration and protest meetings in major junctions of all constituencies.

Venkatrao said the agitation must be peaceful and should not cause any trouble to the layman.

On the other hand, mass organisations affiliated to left parties on Thursday called for highway blockade, which all parties except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported.

Chief Minister Naidu also announced support to the blockade and cited state interests as the reason.

Venkatrao said the YSRCP may cause destruction and violence during the protest, so the TDP should not join protests along with them but hold public agitation separately.

Meanwhile, Naidu in a teleconference with MPs said the BJP had been suspecting the TDP for quite some time now and not believing the TDP chief's statement about his interest in national politics.

"They do not believe even after I clarified that I don't have any interest in national politics. For the same, though there was no need, the Centre ruling party took the support of YSRCP during the presidential election."

After the Andhra ruling party's pullout from the NDA, Wednesday's assembly session saw a confrontation between the TDP and BJP on various issues.