Protesting against the state government's 'indifferent and adamant' attitude in addressing farmers' problems, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists on Thursday laid siege on national and state highways across the state.
Raising slogans against the state government, the activists held the traffic at ransom across the state. Following the call given by Telugu Desam Legislature party on Wednesday, the activists blockaded the highways, demanding the state government to announce a special revised financial package for distressed farmers considering the deteriorating health of their party President N Chandrababu Naidu, who was on hunger fast since last Friday.
The activists criticized the state government for not responding properly to Naidu's hunger fast, and said that this attitude exposed the true colours of the government's commitment for the farmers.
In the state capital, traffic was obstructed on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, Vanasthalipuram, Uppal, Hayathnagar, Kukatpally, Miyapur and Allwyn crossroads.
The Left party leaders also expressed their solidarity by participating in the event.
In Tirupati, TDP district President R C Munikrishna attempted to immolate himself by dousing kerosene. However, the police foiled his attempts.
In Vijayawada, the police arrested senior party leader Devenini Umamaheswara Rao and a few activists when they blocked national highway at Gollapudi.
In Krishna district, the activists pelted stones at an RTC bus at Polavalli in Chandarlapadu mandal.
The TDP activists, raising anti-government slogans, torched a bus in Guntur district. The activists also stopped Janmabhoomi Express at Nadikudi Junction for some time.