Left parties Chalo Secretariat Protest against AP electricity tariff ‎

Leaders and activists of the Left parties were arrested by police when they tried to storm the State Secretariat on Wednesday morning. 

The Left parties have given a call for “Chalo Secretariat”in protest against the recent hike in power tariff in the name of fuel surcharge adjustment. Tension prevailed in the area for sometime as the Left leaders including CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu, his CPI counterpart K. Narayana, former CPI (M) MP P. Madhu, party’s State secretariat member Y.V. Rao and AP Ryotu Sangham leader K. Ramakrishna resisted the attempts to arrest them.

The leaders jostled with the policemen who were firm on foiling their moves to reach the Secretariat. While Mr. Raghavulu was arrested at the busy Liberty cross roads, police chased Dr. Narayana as he ran towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue situated on the road leading to the seat of State administration and arrested him.

"Congress gave an assurance before elections that people won't be burdened over electricity tariff. We are asking them to absorb the burden without troubling people as per their promise. Instead, the government is acting against us," CPI State Secretary K Narayana said. Raghavulu alleged that the state government was only suppressing opposition parties who wanted the people to be spared of the burden over electricity tariff. Recalling that an agitation led by Left parties over electricity issues during the Telugu Desam regime had an enormous impact against the government, he warned the Congress government that a similar fate would befall it.

Mr. Ramakrishna, who managed to give a slip to police, could reach the main entrance of the Secretariat where he along with some of the activists were taken into custody. Elaborate arrangements were made in view of the Left parties’ call with several companies of police posted at vantage points leading to the Secretariat besides regulating traffic movement on the major roads around the Secretariat.

The Left parties leaders and activists were later moved to different police stations even as the police pickets continued to be posted as the parties appeared firm on staging their protest after release.