Thanks to politicians for flaring up passions, people of both the regions of Seemandhra and Telangana are drifting apart day by day. A first-of-its-kind attempt to initiate an open debate by the protagonists of separate Telangana at Vijayawada ended amidst uproar and strong protests by those fighting for united Andhra cause on Sunday. In Khammam district, Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal faced angry protests from T-activists when he was on his way to Bhadrachalam to attend a private function.

Despite police denying permission for the round-table conference proposed by the 'Two states for Telugu people' group at a private function hall, organisers of the meeting reached the Press Club and started the proceedings. Ruling Congress MP G V Harsha Kumar and poet Goreti Venkanna, who were to attend the meeting, abstained after police refused permission.

However, the proposed meeting at the Press Club was also abandoned even before it started as the Samaikhyandhra JAC activists headed by Kolanukonda Sivaji reached the venue and staged protests. With both the groups sticking to their guns, tension prevailed for over an hour.

Sivaji alleged that some Congress leaders were working as `agents' of Telangana leaders and helping them organise the meetings in coastal districts. He warned that such meetings would not be allowed on the soil of Seemandhra.

Jai Andhra co-convener and BJP state council member G Chittibabu, however, said that SCs, STs and BCs in coastal Andhra wanted the state to be bifurcated as it would help the communities' development. Even as the sloganeering continued, police intervened and dispersed the groups.