Hyderabad, Feb 8: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Bode Prasad got his head tonsured to express dissatisfaction over the funds allocated to the state of Andhra Pradesh by the Centre. Bode Prasad took this step during the Andhra Pradesh bandh protest being carried out on Thursday. TDP has hit out at the Narendra Modi government for allocating a small amount to the state in the Union Budget 2018.
The TDP on Thursday also said that the amount allocated to Andhra Pradesh in Union Budget 2018 was even lesser than what Baahubali collected at the box office. “Rs 1,800 crore is what the government gave specifically to Andhra Pradesh in Budget and Baahubali’s collection is more than that.We received less than what a movie collected. If they treat their allies like this, then many people will not want to be their allies in future,” TDP MP Jayadev Galla said.
The TDP has been organising rallies across the state in solidarity with its MPs “fighting in Parliament to secure the state’s rights”. “People and intellectuals irrespective of political affiliations should stand in solidarity with our MPs, who have been fighting in Parliament for the state’s rights,” state TDP president and Energy Minister Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao said.
Meanwhile, the government appealed to the MPs from Andhra Pradesh to withdraw their protest in Lok Sabha for central assistance to the state, saying Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will address their concerns while replying to the debate on the Budget. “I request all MPs from Andhra Pradesh to go back to their seats and facilitate the debate because the finance minister has assured that he will address their concerns when he will give reply to the debate on Budget,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.