The Communist Party of India (CPI) has said that it would lend support in the next elections to the party which will retain Amaravati as the State capital and fight for Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.
The party cadre staged a demonstration at the Sub-Collector’s office here on Monday to commemorate the 300th day of the Amaravati agitation. Speaking on the occasion, CPI national Secretary K. Narayana said the party had taken a firm stand on the capital issue and would not accept the ‘three capitals’ proposal at any cost.
Dig at Botcha
Condemning the remarks made by Minister Botcha Satyanarayana that Amaravati agitators are ‘paid artistes’, the CPI leader said, “It is a matter of shame that the ruling party leaders are belittling the emotions and resolve of those who are fighting for their rights. The protest is a battle for their survival. No government has the right to take a decision without the people’s approval.”
He also dared Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to go for polls on the ‘three capitals’ issue.
Taking a dig at the YSRCP, he said that the government had achieving nothing except for selling sand and encroaching upon land belonging to the Dalits.
“People of the State will teach the YSRCP and its leaders a lesson, if they do not shed their adamant stand on derailing the development of a region on the pretext of decentralisation,” Mr. Narayana said.CPI State secretariat member P. Harinatha Reddy flayed the proposal to shift the Chief Minister’s camp office to Visakhapatnam. He recalled that the ruling party, in its first meeting after bifurcation, had proposed Vijayawada as the State capital, and it should adhere to it.
CPI Chittoor district Secretary A. Rama Naidu, former MLA M. Sugunamma (TDP) and CPI(M) district Secretary P. Pullaiah expressed solidarity by participating in the demonstration.