Rajahmundry, December 16: The all-party protest against division of Andhra Pradesh passed off peacefully today in East Godavari district barring the arrest of Congress leader Vijayalakshm.
The protest, in the form of shut downs, rail and road blockades, continued in the district for the fifth day today. The all party delegation met here and decided to stall work in the Central Government organisations like ONGC, Kakinada Port, Rajahmundry Airport and GAIL, if the Centre did not respond to their protest.
“We are expecting some good information from the Centre. After receiving the information from the Centre, if it is not conducive we will intensify our agitation in favour of United Andhra Pradesh,” they said adding that they are expecting a positive message from New Delhi.
The city police took Congress leader Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi, wife of former Minister Jakkampudi Ramamohan Rao, and 15 other activists into preventive custody, District Superintendent of Police Y Nagi Reddy told PTI and added that she had not taken police permission for the sit-in protest. She was taken into custody when she wanted to take part in an all-party delegation’s sit-in programme, officials said.
APSRTC has been incurring huge losses due to the bandh as due to cancellation of its services, a spokesman of the Corporation told PTI.
–PTI