AS during the question of division of state, once again it was the CPI(M) that adopted a principled, unified, pro-people stand, while the units of Congress, TDP and BJP took regional, diametrically opposite stands in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states. This time the issue was about the decision of NDA government to get the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill rushed through parliament without any meaningful discussion. The Bill enables the transfer of seven mandals of Telangana to Andhra Pradesh for the Polavaram dam project. Nearly three lakh tribals living in these mandals will be displaced due to submergence. The Left parties in both states have been demanding that an alternative design for the project that would not lead to submergence on such a scale must be adopted by the government. The CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) New Democracy Telangana state committees called for a state-wide bandh on July 13 protesting against the passage of the Bill in Lok Sabha on July 12. They also appealed to TRS, Telangana Joint Action Committee, Congress, YSRCP to join the bandh. Simultaneously the Struggle Committee against Polavaram Submergence also called for a bandh. The TRS, TJAC and others also supported the bandh. The bandh was peaceful and evoked good response in all districts of Telangana. The buses remained off the roads, the markets downed their shutters, educational institutes, petrol bunks etc remained closed marking their protest. Effigies of central government were burned in many places. CPI(M) state secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram participated in the bandh in Khammam. A rasta roko was held in RTC X Roads by leaders and activists decrying the passage of the Bill. CPI(M) Central Committee member S Veeraiah, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, CPI(ML) New Democracy leader V Venkatramaiah and TJAC chairman, Professor Kodandaram were arrested by the police. CPI(M) MLA from Bhadrachalam constituency, in which these seven mandals fall, participated in Bhadrachalam town. Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao slammed the passage of the Bill and vowed to fight it even legally. The Left parties, TRS, TJAC congratulated the people for ensuring a complete and peaceful bandh. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury who was in Hyderabad on July 15 demanded that the present design of Polavaram project must be changed. Otherwise lives of lakhs of tribals would be shattered, he told reporters after delivering Durgabai Deshmukh memorial lecture in the city. He said the centre must explore alternative designs to reduce the area of submergence. The CPI(M) had submitted to the UPA government alternative designs but it had refused to consider. The NDA government must heed the advice and prevent displacement of tribals. The passage of the Bill in parliament has resulted in a piquant situation where the voters who have elected the CPI(M) MLA from Bhadrachalam constituency in Telangana will be part of Andhra Pradesh state while the MLA continues to represent them in Telangana assembly. Whom should the MLA be accountable to, questioned Yechury. (INN)