United AP stir enters 29th day; more protests in offing

Andhra Pradesh Congress spokesperson N Tulasi Reddy today faced the ire of agitators when he went to express solidarity with them for their nearly month-long stir against the division of the state.
Agitators shouted slogans against Reddy and asked him to go back when he arrived to meet unified Andhra supporters at Proddatur here.
Seemandhra supporters have been peeved with Congress ever since the party decided to grant separate statehood to the Telangana region on July 30.
The agitation against the proposed bifurcation entered its 29th day today. About 40 rallies were held in the district with big ones being organised at the Mydukur, Jammulamadugu, Proddatur, Pulivendula and Kadapa towns.

Marathon hunger strikes and indefinite fasts by TDP and YSR Congress leaders continued in the district even as united AP activists organised "Jalabikshatana" (water begging) at Rayachoty town to make people aware about the future for Rayalaseema region if the state was divided.
Water sharing between the new state and non-Telangana regions has emerged as a contentious issue.

Meanwhile, employees of AP state-run power utilities in the Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra regions are working on a new action plan to intensify their agitation.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of these employees met at Kalamala here last night and discussed the option of stopping power generation at thermal and hydro-power stations to back the ongoing stir against the separate state proposal.

The meeting also discussed a proposal to resort to "work to rule" and for issuing strike notice to the managements of power utilities, JAC sources said.
These drastic steps are essential for pressurising the government and political leaders who have "cheated" the people of Seemandhra, they said.
JAC representatives will meet on Aug. 30-31, either in Vijayawada or Guntur, to discuss and take a final decision on these measures, the sources added.