Cong, left leaders taken into custody for participating in

Leaders of the Congress, CPI and CPM were taken into custody as they staged a sit-in protest on the highway outside the RTC bus station in Vijayawada on Wednesday as part of the nationwide general strike called by various organisations.

Reports said employees stayed off duties in various public sector undertakings, mostly in Visakhapatnam.

Most of the banks remained shut.

Rallies were taken out by the Left parties and trade unions in major towns and cities of Andhra Pradesh, opposing the policies being adopted by the Central government.

In Vijayawada, a rally was taken out from Radham Centre to Lenin Centre.

In Machilipatnam too a rally was organised from Koneru Centre.

Reports from Tirupati said police prevented youth organisations from carrying the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a 'shava yatra.'