Demand for separate state comprising coastal dists raised

Visakhapatnam, Apr 22 (UNI) Two Members of Parliament belonging to the Congress and nine intellectuals today raised a demand for separate state comprising coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The demand from MPs, Harirama Jogaiah and G V Harsha Kumar, and the intellectuals came up during a meeting at the Andhra University Assembly Hall this evening where they sought a separate state from Tada in Nellore to Ichapuram in Srikakulam District.

Mr Kumar and Mr Jogaiah lamented that Telangana leaders were blackmailing the state government.

He claimed the Andhra people were kept in the dark on the happenings in the state capital and that the rights of the people in the nine coastal districts were being abused.

An awareness campaign has been launched in every district to educate the masses.

They said the coastal districts had to be formed into a separate state as the region was losing a lot by continuing in a composite state with Telangana gaining maximum benefit.

Several senior professors of Andhra University and student union leaders participated.

UNI