The ruling Telugu Desam Party is now getting ready for yet another round of agitation after its successful agitation in Kadapa for steel plant. The party leaders have met in Visakhapatnam the other day and had talks over launching agitation there for the railway zone. They feel that the railway zone issue too would give the party some mileage.

The TDP leaders have decided to hold a day long hunger strike on July 4 in the first phase. Deputy chief minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, MP Avanti Srinivas and several other senior leaders of the TDP were present at the meeting where they discussed the potential form of agitation for the railway zone.

The TDP leaders felt that the railway zone issue had become a sentimental issue for the people and it was equally important for the party to raise the issue. The Kadapa steel plant agitation started by Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh had helped the party get some mileage in Kadapa district, where the YSR Congress is strong.

In Visakhapatnam, the local Lok Sabha constituency and one MLA seat are represented by the BJP and the TDP finds it tough to have its hold in the city. However, with the Anakapalli MP Avanti Srinivas taking the initiative the leaders feel that the party would be able to put up some good show to draw the attention of the people.

The railway zone for Visakhapatnam had been a long pending demand and it had become a sentimental issue for several years. The bifurcation had further raised the hopes of the people with the government committing for establishing a zone for Andhra Pradesh in the Reorganisation Act. The BJP and the TDP leaders who were in alliance have finalised Visakhapatnam for the railway zone and thus it had to some extent silenced the voices in the last four years keeping the hopes of its establishment.

However, four years have gone and the TDP broke alliance with the BJP bringing back the railway zone issue to the zero point. It is now here that the TDP wants to take the advantage of fighting for the zone by launching next round of agitation.