Bandh in Andhra Pradesh, chaos in Parliament over special status demand

TDP MP N Sivaprasad and other members from Andhra protested in Parliament yesterday. Pic/PTI

A state-wide bandh over Andhra Pradesh being overlooked in the Union Budget affected normal life with almost all parties but the BJP supporting the call given by the Left parties. The Lok Sabha witnessed noisy scenes as members from Andhra Pradesh continued with their protest for the third straight day for the state.

Later, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley assured agitating members from Andhra Pradesh in the Lok Sabha that the Centre was looking at all issues concerning the state sympathetically and some decision on a special package and revenue deficit would be worked out in the next couple of days. In the Rajya Sabha too, members from BJP ally TDP and YSR Congress stormed the Well carrying placards with slogans reading "Help Fight for Justice to Andhra Pradesh" and "Keep Your Promise", demanding Special Status for the state.

There were no incidents of violence, but the bandh elicited a good response in the state, with business establishments and educational institutions remaining closed and state transport buses remaining off the roads. The Left parties called the bandh to protest the failure of the Centre to implement the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, that led to the creation of Telangana, and the "meagre" provisions for the state in the 2018-19 Union Budget.

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