Amid protest rallies by Left Parties and the main Opposition TDP, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday began his day-long review of Andhra Pradesh’s performance in key sectors like agriculture, irrigation, infrastructure and industrial development here.The review meeting, being held under the shadow of the Mudigonda police firing, is being attended by Union Ministers P Chidambaram and Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues and officials.Tension prevailed in the city as the CPI(M) and CPI planned a rally to Jubilee Hall, the venue of the Prime Minister’s meeting. A large number of TDP workers also started pouring in to attend the day-long token fast by their President N Chandrababu Naidu to protest against the police firing and to draw the Prime Minister’s attention to the incident.The Opposition have been demanding a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge into the firing that left seven people dead. They have also demanded filing of criminal cases against the policemen responsible.Security has been stepped up at Jubilee Hall and Indira Park, the venue of Naidu’s hunger strike, in view of the belligerent mood in the Opposition camp.With the Mudigonda firing casting a shadow over the meeting, Singh reviewed the law and order situation with Chief Minister and senior officials soon after his arrival here on Monday night. Reddy briefed Singh about the circumstances that led to the firing and the Government’s measures in the aftermath of the unsavoury incident.During the review meeting, the Chief Minister is expected to seek massive Central assistance of Rs 26,588 crore to accelerate development in various sectors. About Rs 11,200 crore assistance will be sought for modernisation of the Godavari, Krishna and Penna deltas and the canal network of Nagarjusanasagar.Reddy will also make out a case for one-time assistance of Rs 3,258 crore, besides annual aid of Rs 1,280 crore for the farm sector. He will also seek Rs 8,800 crore for various infrastructure projects like Metro rail for Hyderabad.
