PM Modi's public rally: Andhra Pradesh CM asks cadre to protest

Amaravati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally at Guntur on Sunday in his first visit to Andhra Pradesh after the ruling TDP severed its ties with the BJP, even as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked his party cadre to observe protest day across the state.

Besides addressing the public meeting of the BJP, the Prime Minister will dedicate two petroleum and gas projects worth Rs 6,825 crore to the nation.

He will also lay the foundation-stone through remote control system for construction of a coastal terminal of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited at Krishnapatnam in SPS Nellore district.

This will be built at a cost of Rs 2,280 crore, according to BJP MP G V L Narasimha Rao.

The two projects the Prime Minister would dedicate to the nation include ONGC's Vasishta Gas Field in the Krishna-Godavari basin, set up at a cost of Rs 5,700 crore,
and a storage facility of ISPRL, an undertaking of Petroleum Ministry, built at a cost of Rs 1,125 crore, the MP said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said Sunday would be a 'bad day' and a 'dark day' for the state and asked the TDP cadre to sport yellow and black shirts besides releasing black and yellow balloons into the sky as a mark of protest against the prime minister's visit.

Huge hoardings from Gannavaram airport -- where Modi will land at 10 am were put up along the National Highway up to Guntur, saying Modi, No Entry' while protests were organised in some parts of the state against the visit.

The BJP lodged a complaint with police seeking action against those who put up the hoardings against the Prime Minister.

The Congress too called for observance of black day on Sunday over Modi's failure to honour the promises made to Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation, party sources said.

In Vijayawada, the CPI and the CPI-M organised a demonstration Saturday protesting the Prime Ministers visit.

Reports said similar protests were held in Guntur,Kadapa and Kurnool districts as well.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information and Public Relations Kalava Srinivasulu told PTI at Tirupati that

Naidu will go on a 12-hour-long fast, 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (protest for justice), from 8 am in New Delhi on February 11.

The protest would be to highlight the failure of the BJP-led NDA government in not meeting many a genuine demand of the state, including special category status, he said.

The Minister said several ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs from the state and members of other friendly parties in Delhi would also take part in the agitation.

Narasimha Rao alleged that the TDP was spending over Rs 1.30 crore of public money to organise three special trains to New Delhi for taking people to the Chief Ministers 'deeksha' programme.

"They are talking about blocking the Prime Ministers visit. If they try it, the consequences could be serious," the Rajya Sabha member warned.

"We should feel sorry at the TDP leaderships state of mind. They are doing mean things by grossly abusing power," he said.

The TDP had severed its ties with the BJP in March last year alleging that the NDA government had failed to discharge its constitutional responsibilities in implementing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act,2014 in letter and spirit.