Chandrababu Naidu Arrest: State-wide bandh by TDP evokes lukewarm response in Andhra Pradesh

AMARAVATI: The State-wide bandh call given by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) condemning the arrest of former Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu evoked a lukewarm response in Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

In view of the bandh, several private schools and educational institutions declared a holiday in the State on Monday and business resumed as usual in many cities. Several TDP leaders, including TDP AP unit president K Atchannaidu were taken into preventive custody from their respective places. TDP activists staged demonstrations before the APSRTC bus depots and major junctions in several cities across the State.

Police arrested several TDP leaders when they tried to prevent the buses' movement. Political parties including the Jana Sena, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Loksatha and the MRPS backed the State-wide call given by the TDP. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Shanka Brata Bagchi said that the situation was under control in the State and no untoward incidents were reported in view of the bandh.

In Visakhapatnam, the State-wide bandh call given by the TDP saw no impact on normal life as Government and private vehicles movement continued as usual on roads. In Vijayawada, MLA Gadde Ramamohan along with party activists staged a protest against the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu before Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) and prevented the buses movement. Police arrested Gadde Ramamohan and other party activists and shifted them to Krishnalanka police station. Former MLC Buddha Venkanna was arrested by the police while he was staging a protest near Ratham Centre in Vijayawada.

In the erstwhile Krishna district, the police kept TDP district president N Raghuram and former MLA Sriram Rajagopal Tataiah under house arrest. At Nunna in Vijayawada suburbs, several TDP activists along with Jana Sena party leaders gathered in good numbers and condemned the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu. In Dharmavaram in Satya Sai district, TDP women wing leaders were taken into custody by the police for staging a demonstration in the town.

Traffic came to a standstill between Vinukonda and Narasaraopet in Palnadu district after the Jana Sena party leaders staged a demonstration for the arrest of TDP and Jana Sena leaders for protesting against the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu. In Proddatur, Kadapa district, TDP senior leader and former MLA Varadharajula Reddy fainted due to a tussle between the police and TDP activists during a demonstration. Later, Vardharajula Reddy continued his protest by sleeping on the road. In Nellore district, MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy was kept under house arrest in Magunta layout.

The police imposed Section 30 and 144 CrPC and restricted the protests and agitations in the Chittoor and Tirupati districts. Superintendent of Police (SP), Chittoor Y Rishanth Reddy along with officials went around in the city and interacted with police personnel deployed on duties to prevent law and order issues during the State-wide bandh call given by the TDP. In Allagadda, Nandyal district former minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, TDP leader Farooq, Kotala Surya Prakah Reddy in Kurnool, former minister Bandaru Satynarayana Murthy in Anakapalle, former minister Partiala Sunitha and her son Paritala Sriram in Dharmavaram were kept under house arrest by the police.