VIJAYAWADA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jana Sena leaders, who were visiting the striking farmers in the capital region on Sunday, were subjected to an unusual situation as they were asked to clarify their stance on the YSRC government’s decision to relocate the Secretariat and the High Court to Visakhapatnam and Kurnool, respectively.

BJP’s Ravela Kishore Babu, Poturi Nagabhushanam, Valluru Jayaprakash Narayana, Talla Venkatesh Yadav, Kilaru Dileep and Vangaveeti Narendra were accompanied by Jana Sena’s Pothina Venkata Mahesh, Ch Srinivas and Raavi Soujanya, among others, toured Mandadam, Thullur and Velagapudi, and met the farmers agitating for over one-and-a-half month.  

Addressing the protesters in Mandadam, former minister Ravela Kishore Babu assured them that the central government will soon intervene in the issue, and reiterated that Amaravati will continue to remain the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Comparing Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with Roman emperor Nero, he said the former did nothing to allay fears of the farmers, many of whom died during the ongoing protests. “Both BJP and Jana Sena will save the state from Jagan,” Kishore Babu added.

Jana Sena leaders also lambasted the CM and other leaders of his party for making ‘negative’ comments on the farmers’ protests and found fault with them for not responding on the issue.

However, referring to the statements BJP leaders GVL Narasimha Rao and Kanna Lakshminarayana, the protesters demanded that the partymen declare their stance on the decentralisation of the capital, but requested them not to politicise the agitation.

“Two key leaders of the BJP are giving contradictory statements on the capital issue, leaving thousands of farmers in a dilemma. BJP and Jana Sena leaders will be respected only if they open up on the issue and fight on our behalf,” the farmers observed. Two days ago, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu, an MP from the ruling party, and Telugu Desam leaders visited the capital region to extend support to the agitating farmers.
With demonstrations in Thullur, Mandadam, Velagapudi, Yerrabalem and Uddandarayunipalem, the indefinite agitations of the capital farmers continued for Day 47 on Sunday.