The Bharat bandh call evoked a good response in Srikakulam district with wide support from business establishments and political parties including CPI, CPI(M), the ruling YSRCP, and TDP.
Although the YSRCP did not participate in the agitations directly, the government’s support to the strike call led the police department to allow protests, rallies and other programmes in the district headquarters and in the Ranasthalam-Pydibhimavaram industrial zone.
All the markets in GT Road, Old Bus Stand, and Palakonda Road wore a deserted look with the closure of all the shops and establishments. Former TDP MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi, and TDP leaders Madarapu Venkatesh and S.V. Ramana Madiga organised a rally from the Head Post Office to the SBI office.
Speaking to reporters, Ms. Lakshmi Devi said that the TDP has extended its support to the strike call in order to oppose the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
CITU State vice-president D. Govinda Rao who led a motorcycle rally from the Old Bus Stand to APSRTC Complex said the Union government’s privatisation policies and implementation of new Farm Acts would have a cascading affecting on society. He said that sale of all public sector units and government properties came as a shock to the citizens of the country.
AP Lorry Owners Association organised a protest at Itchapuram-AP-Odisha border. The association’s State vice-president M. Janakiram Reddy expressed concern over the steep hike in the prices of petroleum products. He alleged that the transport sector was in a deep crisis due to the policies formulated by the Centre. Traffic was briefly disrupted on the national highway at several places.
