Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists showed black flags to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Vijayawada on Sunday as he arrived to address a public meeting to demand the Centre fulfill its commitment to give special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The ruling party leaders and workers waved black flags and raised slogans "Rahul go back" as his convoy of vehicles passed by Kesarapalli on the city's outskirts
The protestors were holding placards which read "Rahul go back" and "Rahul divided the state". Police had to push back the protestors to prevent any untoward incident.
Gandhi and other Congress leaders was on their way to a hotel from Gannavaram airport.
Gandhi will later leave for Guntur later to address a public meeting along with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav, Communist Party of India General Secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy and other leaders.
This is first public meeting by the Congress since the party was routed in the 2014 election, following the bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh.
TDP leaders said Gandhi had no right to enter the state as his party was responsible for Andhra's bifurcation.