Bandh over Andhra special status evokes mixed response

A bandh called by main Opposition YSR Congress against the Centre's stance over granting special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, evoked mixed response across the state today.

With the ruling Telugu Desam Party opposing the bandh this time, there was a virtual clampdown on the protesters with police detaining YSRC leaders at several places.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sought to know what would the YSRC achieve by enforcing a bandh in the state.

"Why should the state be penalised for the follies of the Centre? What is the use calling for bandhs instead of fighting with the Centre?" he said.

In Chittoor district, YSRC legislators R K Roja and Narayanaswamy were taken into custody at Puttur as they attempted to take out a rally with their supporters.

In Visakhapatnam, former minister Botsa Satyanarayana was taken into custody, while in Tirupati, party general secretary Bhumana Karunakara Reddy was detained.

MLA P Ramakrishna Reddy was placed under house arrest at Macherla in Guntur district, while several top leaders of YSRC were taken into custody in Guntur city, Repalle, Sattenapalli and Narsaraopet, police sources here said.

In other districts as well, YSRC leaders were detained as they tried to enforce the bandh.

Educational institutes declared a holiday in view of the bandh call, while State Road Transport Corporation buses were operated in limited numbers to prevent untoward incidents.

In Vijayawada city, YSRC activists staged a protest outside the RTC bus station to prevent movement of buses, but police took the protestors to a nearby police station.

YSRC workers staged protests at various police stations against the detention of their leaders.

The TDP had withdrawn its ministers from the central government and later walked out of the NDA, alleging that the Centre had failed to fulfil its "promise" of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.