Upping the ante in the demand for special status to Andhra, around 100 activists in the state on Thursday donated blood under the banner of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti (Council for securing special status).
The blood collected is expected to be couriered to the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi.
Speaking to PTI, the leader of the council, Chalasani Srinivas said:
"The blood donation is our final warning to the Centre. They should immediately fulfill all promises made in Rajya Sabhaon February 20, 2014 when the AP Reorganisation Bill was adopted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought mud and (Yamuna) water in two pots at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of our new capital Amaravati. Now, we are sending him our blood demanding special status for the state, including the monetary benefits attached to it."
Earlier this week, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said there is no clarity on the Centre's stand on according special status to his state and demanded that it keep the promises made during bifurcation.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Krishna Pushkaram river festival, he said the Centre released about Rs 1,800 crore fund whereas the state was to get Rs 16,000 crore on account of revenue deficit.
"We got only Rs 1000 crore on account of revenue deficit today. The rest was for other purposes including backwards area development. The state was promised this fund as after bifurcation, revenue-generating capital Hyderabad went to Telangana.
"We are having a problem of finances. We came here (the present situation) carrying debt on our head," he said.
He also said there were problems between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and the Centre should intervene to solve the issues.
"We are waiting for the solutions," he said.