Pressure mounts on Seemandhra leaders to resign

VISAKHAPATNAM / VIJAYAWADA / KADAPA: Pressure is mounting on Seemandhra MLAs and MPs to quit their posts in support of United Andhra Pradesh. After MLAs and MPs from Telangana region submitted their resignations, people of Andhra and Rayalaseema have also started counter-agitations against bifurcation.People are staging dharnas before public representatives demanding them to submit resignations to bring pressure on the Centre in favour of a united state.Andhra University Joint Action Committee (AUJAC) on Monday raised slogans in support of Samaikhyandhra in front of revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy and minister for tribal welfare P Balaraju and demanded their resignations.The AUJAC leaders said they wouldn’t hesitate to re-launch dharnas and rallies in front of the houses of MLAs, MPs and MLCs if they failed to raise their voice for united Andhra.However Raghuveera Reddy justified that resignation was not a solution when there were other pressing issues like development of the region. Resignations would only lead to bypolls, he said, adding that the UPA government is constitutionally obliged to resolve the issue quickly keeping in mind the national interests. Meanwhile, members of Samaikhyandhra Porata Samithi launched a bus yatra in Visakhapatnam in order to create awareness among the masses on why the state should stay united.In Vizianagaram district, members of the Panchayat Raj chamber shut down schools and colleges and took out a rally. In Kadapa, ABVP and TDP activists held separate demonstrations before the residence of minority welfare minister Md Ahamadulla. TDP activists, led by its state secretary S Govardhan Reddy, staged a novel protest by placing bangles, turmeric powder, vermilion powder and a sari at the gate of the minister’s residence, indicting him for his silence on the issue. They warned that they would resort to direct action if the minister failed to resign from his post.ABVP activists also marched to the residence of the minister holding placards. ABVP district secretary Suresh warned they would not allow the minister to move freely in Rayalaseema unless he steps down in support of Samaikhyandhra. In Vijayawada, Samaikyandra Samrakshana Samithi leaders took out a rally to the press club where Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was addressing the media and demanded his resignation. However, Rajagopal reiterated that resignation was not a solution.