Andhra Spends Rs 1.12 Crore On Trains To Ferry People For Delhi Protest

Chandrababu Naidu appealed to everyone, including opposition parties, to make the protest a success.

The Andhra Pradesh government has hired two special trains to ferry people to New Delhi for Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's protest against the Centre on February 11, officials said in Amaravati on Saturday.

The General Administration Department has released Rs 1.12 crore to hire the trains with 20 compartments each from the South Central Railway.

According to the orders issued by the Department, the trains from Ananthapur and Srikakulam will ferry leaders of various political parties, other organisations, NGOs and associations to Delhi to enable their participation in the one-day 'Deeksha', or protest.

Both the trains would reach New Delhi by 10 am on Sunday.

The protest in Delhi is being held over demands for a Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and against the Centre's alleged failure to fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Mr Naidu, who is also the President of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), appealed to all, including opposition parties, to make the protest a success. 

Leaders of non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties are also expected to join Mr Naidu in the sit-in.

The TDP had pulled out of the BJP-led NDA government last year.