Signature campaign brings leaders together

Several leaders of various parties on Tuesday expressed their solidarity with the demand for special category status (SCS), Railway Zone for Visakhapatnam and other by participating in a novel signature campaign organised by Uttrandhra Rakshana Vedika.

Signing on a 50-foot banner at the Gandhi statue near GVMC, the leaders came together and expressed their wish for bringing pressure on the Central government to fulfil the promises made during bifurcation.

Uttrandhara Charcha Vedika convener Konathala Ramakrishna, former Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, CITU State president Ch. Narsinga Rao, former MLA and YSRC Party city president Malla Vijay Prasad, former MLA Tyanala Vijay Kumar, YSRCP Anakapalle Parliament president Gudivada Amarnath, CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy and AU Registrar V. Uma Maheswara Rao were among those who signed the banner.

Mr. Ramakrishna welcomed the struggle by various parties to press for fulfilling the bifurcation promises. He deplored the attempts being made to deny railway zone for Visakhapatnam and said the idea seemed to continue Waltair Division in East Coast Zone. He said TDP government and its MPs failed to bring any pressure on the Centre.

Mr. Vijay Prasad said BJP was giving more priority to its political interests than the demands of the people of North Andhra.

URV president S.S. Shiva Sankar said the protests would be taken to mandal-level in North Coastal districts.