Hyderabad: Friday's bandh in the 13 Andhra Pradesh districts that are called Seemandhra had an impact, but the common man is calculating at what cost.
Schools and colleges were closed, so were shops and business establishments. Almost 10,000 public transport buses were off the road and once again, people from the lowest socio-economic strata were unable to get to work, or just travel.
With a reported 25 companies of paramilitary forces deployed, the presence of security men was very visible across the districts.
As visible were political workers from the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress and the Telugu Desam Party or TDP, attempting to enforce the two-day bandh called by their parties to protest against the Union Cabinet's nod yesterday to a new Telangana state.
Amid growing weariness and cynicism among the people in Seemandhra, who oppose splitting the Andhra Pradesh, these workers might find enforcing a bandh for a second day tomorrow difficult.
With their party leadership committed to creating a separate Telangana soon, leaders in the region from the Congress - which rules both the state and at the Centre - are now carefully avoiding overt rebellion and prefer to leak reports of their "unhappiness."
The only Congress leaders who have spoken out against the union cabinet's decision are those who are reportedly looking to jump ship. Like state minister Ganta Srinivas Rao, who said in Visakhapatnam that he supports the bandh. He is said to be contemplating moving back to the TDP.
Congress MP from Vijayawada, L Rajagopal, said he and some others would resign and tell the President that they are withdrawing support to the government. Mr Rajagopal reportedly wants chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who belongs to Seemandhra and opposes bifurcation, to quit the Congress and launch his own party.
The draft Bill is expected to be sent by tomorrow to the President, who will then send it to the state Assembly, which assembles on January 12. Chief Minister Reddy's next steps will be watched keenly.
Schools and colleges were closed, so were shops and business establishments. Almost 10,000 public transport buses were off the road and once again, people from the lowest socio-economic strata were unable to get to work, or just travel.
With a reported 25 companies of paramilitary forces deployed, the presence of security men was very visible across the districts.
Amid growing weariness and cynicism among the people in Seemandhra, who oppose splitting the Andhra Pradesh, these workers might find enforcing a bandh for a second day tomorrow difficult.
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The only Congress leaders who have spoken out against the union cabinet's decision are those who are reportedly looking to jump ship. Like state minister Ganta Srinivas Rao, who said in Visakhapatnam that he supports the bandh. He is said to be contemplating moving back to the TDP.
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The draft Bill is expected to be sent by tomorrow to the President, who will then send it to the state Assembly, which assembles on January 12. Chief Minister Reddy's next steps will be watched keenly.
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