Anger against CM Naidu unites people, opposition

The Congress, CPI and CPM, Lok Satta and many social organisations actively participated in the Andhra Pradesh bandh, called against the Centre’s refusal to accord special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, and the Telugu Desam Party government’s inability to influence its ally, the NDA government, on the demand.

 
Buses went off the road across the 13 districts of the truncated Andhra Pradesh. Schools and business establishments were closed. 

 

The public responded in full measure to the call. The program also saw the extensive participation of all opposition political parties in the state. 

 

It looked like the return to 2004 when all opposition parties united against Chandrababu Naidu’s government at the state and NDA at the Centre. 

 

The ruling TDP bit the dust in the 2004 elections, which brought Congress’ YS Rajasekhar Reddy to power.

 
The undeclared coalition of all opposition parties under the leadership of YSR Congress appears to have thoroughly convinced the people of the state that getting SCS bestowed on Andhra Pradesh was the panacea for all ills thrown up by the division of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

 
The mass participation of the people bears testimony to the support the call received from all sections of the Andhra society.

 
Unemployment is the biggest problem in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Naidu extensively used the slogan “Babu comes, Job comes” during the 2014 election campaign, offering a job to every family or an unemployment allowance of  ₹2000 PM. 

 

However, in the past two years, the TDP has not been able to recruit a single youth through the AP Public service commission.

 

Since there is no program of recruitment in sight, the secretary of APPSC, A Giridhar, a senior IAS officer, is said to have applied for deputation to the Centre.  

 

Youths in Andhra are highly disillusioned these days. While the APPSC is not in a position to launch a recruitment drive, the highly publicised ₹6 lakh crore investment promised during the Vizag Investment Summit is not taking off. 

 

As there are no job prospects in the state in the near future, not only have the unemployed been unhappy, even the families are disappointed the “Amaravati talk” of Naidu.

 

The banks have added to general unrest, by perhaps rightly refusing to extend fresh loans to farmers as the government couldn't repay the full amount under the 'loan waiver scheme'.  

 
Even the extravagant lifestyle of the chief minister, who spent hundreds of crores on his temporary offices and residence, on celebrations like Amaravati foundation stone, Pattiseema programs, pujas for the temporary secretariat and Pushkaralu also appear to have added fuel to the general anger against Naidu’s two-year rule.

 
Many former Congress Union ministers such as MM Pallam Raju, CPI secretary Ramakrishna, CPM secretary P Madhu, YSRC MLAs, Congress president Raghuvira Reddy and Lok Satta leaders have actively participated in the making today’s bandh a success.

 
Barring the arrest of hundreds of political leaders from all parties across the 13 districts, the bandh was peaceful throughout and no untoward incidents were reported till noon.

 

Dharnas and sit-ins began early in the morning in front of all RTC depots. Activists and student unions organised rallies in towns across the state demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh. 

 

Attendance at all government offices was thin.

 
Reacting to the bandh, Congress MP KVP Ramachandra Rao, who moved a private members’ bill in Rajya Sabha recently, said this was only a beginning and in the near future, the people’s anger would surround the Centre and state governments like a tsunami and force them to concede all the  demands of Andhra people.