Even as Andhra’s fight for Special Category Status and bifurcation promises gain swift momentum, political parties across the state, with the exception of the ruling Telugu Desam Party and BJP, held a round table conference, at IV Palace in Vijayawada on Sunday.
Following a call by left parties (CPI-CPM), representatives from YSRCP, Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika, Congress, Loksatta party and activist Chalasani Srinivas addressed the conference.
The leaders at the conference announced that they will be staging a protest in Delhi on March 5, in a bid to get the centre to notice.
"We will definitely rattle Delhi with protests from the day parliament session begins, for achieving what is due for state" said CPI state secretary Ramakrishna K.
Expressing the need to educate the masses about the injustice meted out to the State, the leaders decided that a series of district level round table conferences will be held. Following which, a State level public meeting will be organised in Guntur in the first week of March.
Addressing the conference, Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti President , Chalasani Srinivas said "those (political parties) who don't fight for the Special Category Status will be treated as Andhra traitors."
Blaming the ruling TDP and BJP for the bifurcation mess in the State, Ramakrishna, said "They should come along with us, if they're concerned about the State’s demands".
AP Congress chief, N Raghu Veera Reddy, said that there will be State wide rastarokos on March 2, demanding fulfilment of bifurcation promises.
Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika Founder, ex-minister Konathala Ramakrishna said "it is a second self respect battle for the people ".
Meanwhile, Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan who formed the Joint Fact Finding Committee to demand a white paper from the Centre and State Govts. on fund allocation to Andhra, received a 118-page report from the State Government. The report listed in detail, bifurcation promises, Union Government allocations, attachments of Certificates of Utilisations and funds yet to be received.