VIJAYAWADA: Continuing their indefinite protests against the State government’s decision to shift the Secretariat to Visakhapatnam and High Court to Kurnool, farmers from 29 villages in the Amaravati region staged relay hunger strikes on Saturday. A day after ruling YSRC leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu visited villages in the capital region, Telugu Desam’s JC Diwaka Reddy visited Tadikonda mandal to show his support to the protesting farmers. While interacting with them, he criticised the YSRC government and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for not taking the opinion of farmers before making a decision on the capital.
The farmers observed that the Narasaraopet MP failed to instil confidence in them and termed his visit a ‘political’ move. “Instead of speaking on behalf of us, he supported the government’s move and wanted us to participate in talks [with the government]. This is nothing but a political move,” rued the farmers.
Protesters and villagers, including women, assembled at the protesting venues in Mandadam and Thullur villages in huge numbers and raised slogans against the Chief Minister. Tensed situation continued in Thullur, Mandadam and Velagapudi due to police restrictions in place.
BJP and Jana Sena leaders to tour Amaravati
A delegation of leaders from the BJP and the Jana Sena will tour the villages in the capital region on Sunday, to support the agitations against the move to shift Secretariat to Vizag. The leaders of the two parties will meet at a private resort in Guntur and then proceed to Amaravati