Andhra Pradesh BJP to hold protest from Dec 9 over Telangana

Andhra Pradesh BJP would organise protest demonstrations for three days from December 9, the day the UPA Government had announced starting the process for carving out separate Telangana state in 2009.

Accusing the Congress of betraying Telangana people on the issue, State BJP President G Kishan Reddy told reporters today that the "U" turn of the Centre, after its promise in 2009, has claimed 1,000 lives, including those of students, who allegedly committed suicide in support of Telangana.

Protest demonstrations and dharnas would be organised in Telangana region from December 9 to 11 in which national leaders like Prakash Javadekar would participate, he said.

The Opposition party would intensify its agitation from Jaunary to push for its demand for granting statehood to Telangana before 2014 elections, Reddy said.

Meanwhile, ABVP, the student wing of BJP, has decided to launch a 12-day "Telangana Maha Padyatra" from November 26.

ABVP would take out padyatras (foot march) from five districts - Nizamabad, Karimangar, Warangal, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar, Reddy said, adding the the padyatra would end here on December 7.

The state BJP chief said his party will extend support to Telangana Nagara Samithi (TNS) leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy, who will undertake a separate padyatra from November 26. Janardhan Reddy, a former TDP leader, has formed TNS to fight for Telangana statehood.