Opposition burn PM Narendra Modi's effigies for not announcing special status for Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: Opposition parties Congress and the Communist Party of India (CPI) staged a protest today by burning effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here for not announcing Special Status for Andhra Pradesh on occasion of the foundation stone laying ceremony at Amaravati.

Congress workers led by former MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Devineni Nehru burnt Modi's effigies at its Andhra Ratna Bhavan office and announced that they will continue the agitation in support of the demand.

"Congress party will continue its agitation against both the State and the Centre to attain special status for Andhra Pradesh," Vishnu said.

He said Congress is also fighting for allocation of funds by the Central government for the Polavaram irrigation project, special financial package for backward districts as specified in the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act.

The previous Congress-led UPA government had at the time of passing the bill included many provisions to benefit the state but the present NDA government failed to implement them, he said.

The leader said Modi had earlier announced that the Act would be implemented fully with but reneged from his words.

Modi yesterday laid the foundation stone of Amaravati at Uddandarayunipalem village in Guntur district amid much fanfare and celebrations.

"People of AP were anxiously waiting for the Prime Minister's announcement on special status yesterday. But unfortunately, he did not mention anything on the issue," he said.

Vishnu also alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu failed to convince Modi in attaining the demand.

CPI state general secretary K Rama Krishna told reporters here that his party would take up a week-long agitation in this regard.

"The trio -- Modi, Naidu and Venkaiah Naidu -- are just amusing people with their speeches but are not acting as per their wishes," he said.