Bandh affects normal life in Vijaywada

Normal life was paralysed in the city today due to a 48-hour bandh called to protest the arrest of fasting TDP MLA D Umamaheswara Rao and another TDP leader.

Shops, educational institutions, banks, their ATMs and several government offices remained closed since morning. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) suspended its services but train services remained unaffected.

TDP MLA Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, TDP state secretary Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, who have been on fast, were forcibly shifted to the Vijayawada government general hospital. They were, however, continuing their fast in the hospital.

Senior TDP leader K Yerran Naidu visited the fasting leaders at the hospital. "The state government is adopting double standards with regard to the fast. It appointed a special team of doctors to treat TRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao.

"The government briefed the media every two hours about the health condition of the TRS president. When it comes to leaders from coastal Andhra, the government is just shifting them to the hospital in the dead of the night," he alleged.