A ROUND table meeting organised at the initiative of CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh state committee demanded the BJP-led central government to fulfill the promises made to the state and to implement the State Re-organisation Act.

The meeting was chaired by P Madhu, a former member of parliament who appealed the ruling YSRCP and the main opposition TDP to decide whether they would fight for the state interests or would continue to follow the dictates of the BJP. If they continue to go along with the BJP, they have to face the ire of people, speakers warned. They demand the central government to immediately constitute the railway zone at Visakhapatnam, announce special category status to AP, sanction funds for the relief and rehabilitation of evacuees of the Polavaram project, to stop privatisation of Vizag Steel Plant and announce a public sector steel plant at Kadapa. The meeting decided to chalk out a plan of action shortly.

Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, a former minister, accused the BJP central government of cheating the people of AP since the last eight years. The plight of present Andhra Pradesh is due to the mischief played by the Congress and the BJP through dividing the state.

V Srinivasa Rao, CPI(M) state secretary while placing the resolution narrated the machinations of the BJP in the state to spread communal hatred and also how it has been utilising the silence of YSRCP and the BJP. He called on the activists to expose the failure of the central government in fulfilling the promises to the state and the failure in the implementation of the Re-organisation Act. A mass movement is required, he said and this alone will put pressure on the ruling YSRCP government and the opposition TDP to leave their present path of surrendering to the BJP.

K Ramakrishna, CPI state secretary accused the central government of its failure to implement promises and also of further trying to cheat the public. Chalasani Srinivas, convener of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti proposed to take out a padayatra throughout the state on these issues. Leaders of Left parties and various mass organisations participated and assured to take part in the movement for the sake of the state and the people.