TDP, Congress MPs protest outside Parliament for justice to Andhra

Vijayawada: Union home minister Rajnath Singh sympathised with the TDP delegation that met him on Monday, and requested the leaders to give him time to convey their feelings to the Prime Minister. “I will convey your feelings to the Prime Minister and ensure that the issues raised by you are addressed.”
Earlier in the day, TDP MPs staged a protest outside Parliament seeking justice for Andhra Pradesh.Holding placards and raising slogans near Mahatma Gandhi statue, the MPs — TG Venkatesh, K Sivaprasad, Konakalla Narayana Rao, N Kistappa, K Rammohan Naidu, Galla Jayadev and Narasimham — demanded that PM Modi respond to their requests.
The MPs demanded that the Central government clear the demand for a new railway zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters. “Save Andhra Pradesh”, “Keep Your Promises Now”, “Follow Alliance Dharma”, “Implement AP Reorganisation Commitments Now”, were a few slogans that the MPs raised while holding the placards.
Machilipatnam MP Narayana Rao said the TDP government will not compromise on state issues and said the MPs would continue to hold protests until the Centre implemented the AP. Reorganisation Act and delivered the promises made to the state.
The TDP’s strategy on the issue was finalised at a teleconference that CM N Chandrababu Naidu had with the party MPs on Monday morning. The CM told the MPs to lobby with the Centre and ensure that all promises to the state were fulfilled. “There should be no compromise on the state’s interests,” was the brief given to them. He had also directed them to raise the issue inside Parliament too to draw the attention of the Prime Minister and also other members of Parliament.
Congress Rajya Sabha members, led by KVP Ramachandra Rao, staged a protest in the House seeking justice to the state. Despite repeated pleas by RS chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, the Congress members continued with their protest, forcing the chairman to adjourn the House.
Later, the Congress members staged a protest outside Parliament seeking implementation of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act. They blamed the BJP and TDP for betraying the people by not protecting the rights of the state and the people. Rao told media persons that his party would continue to fight for the state, particularly on issues like Polavaram, Dugarajapatnam port, steel plant, railway zone and funds for backward districts.