Visakhapatnam: Samaikyandhra protagonists, especially youngsters, chose venue of the ODI match between India and the West Indies as a platform to showcase their aspirations of United Andhra Pradesh.
Students flashed placards like “Save Andhra Pradesh”, “Jai Samaikyandhra”?during the day and night match, held at ACA-VDCA YSR Stadium, in Madhurawada. Along with the national flags and cheering team India, city youth raised slogans of united Andhra Pradesh.
“We felt it’s our duty to rise for the occasion and highlight our cause for which, every section of the society, took to streets demanding that Union government take back the Telangana decision. We tried to highlight our issue and cause by grabbing attention from national and international media,”?said Rajesh, who is studying engineering at a city college.
The Samaikyandhra votaries were divided vertically on organising ODI match in Vizag. A?few objected and vowed to stop the match stating that the people of Vizag are not in a mood to enjoy such matches, due to the ongoing stir .
For Samaikyandhra, some argued that cricket matches should be taken in sporting spirit and such acts would only dent the image of the city.
They opined that the match should be treated as an opportunity to showcase their aspiration. Ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao also wrote a letter to the match organizers seeking to either postpone the match or change the venue from Vizag.
However, ACA and VDCA members approached, the minister requesting him to cooperate with them in organizing the match. "It’s actually a bad idea to demand to cancel the match. It sends wrong signal about Vizag. See, now we could use this as a platform to highlight our cause," said Teja.
Police too were seen deployed in good numbers to thwart any attempt by the Samaikyandhra agitators if they tried to disrupt the match and create trouble. Senior police officials also on Saturday cautioned the Samaikyandhra votaries not to disrupt the match but showcase their feelings in a democratic and peaceful manner.
Head man of the Kuntala (B) village, Madavi Maru, alleged that Surapa Raju had tried to influence him to support the project by offering him bribe in lakhs, two years ago, and said the power project will affect their traditional god ‘Somanna’ located in the cave in the very Kuntala waterfalls itself for which they offer prayers every year.
Jugnake Dev Rao, of Vagdhari village, alleged that Surapa Raju is eyeing the mineral wealth surroundings the Kuntala waterfalls and also forests and wanted to take control of this area in the name of the setting up mini Hydel power project.
The AP High Court is ordering a CBI probe against illegal assets of YS Jaganmohan Reddy and others including, few Congress Ministers and leaders, who ultimately turned against the Congress party and the Government. Kiran Kumar Reddy Government kept mum before the High Court, in defending the Government's orders those were issued. This in a way put the Congress Ministers too in soup along with Jaganmohan Reddy.
Three Ministers had to resign after CBI decided to charge sheet them. Another Minister is waiting to appear before the CBI Court. There was a criticism within the Congress that the game plan to fix Jaganmohan Reddy has indeed backfired against it.
The Congress party, under the stewardship of Kiran Kumar Reddy, did not make any impressive gains ,in the by polls, held during these years, except winning two Assembly seats. But for the merger of Praja Rajyam party of Chiranjeevi, which has 17 MLAs, Kiran Kumar Reddy Government would have lost the power by now. However, Kiran Kumar Reddy Government survived two No-Confidence Motions during his stint.
There are some good decisions too during the three year time; He was credited giving
SC ST Sub Plan as well as the 'Bangaru Talli' the much needed statutory status. He has also brought a mechanism to take care of the fee reimbursement scheme. He evolved Indiramma Baata, Amma Hastam (giving essential commodities at subsidized prices), and Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu (creation Of employment to youth) and Rachabanda to care of the welfare needs of the people.
As stated by him to public as well as to the party High Command that he is not going to preside over the division of State that set to happen soon. Kiran Kumar Reddy is now a commander without soldiers, a scheme to fix his opponents, a fighter for losing battles and a hard nut to crack as far as his staunch opposition to the division of the state.
