BJP activists staged a protest at the Gandhi statue near the GVMC, condemning the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “denigrated” by the TDP during a rally taken out here under the leadership of MLA and urban district president Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar seeking Special Category Status (SCS) and new railway zone.

Led by senior leaders J. Pruthviraj and Prakash Reddy, the BJP leaders performed ‘palabhisekam’ to the portrait of Mr. Modi.

Mr. Pruthviraj said it was unfortunate that the TDP activists heckled a person masquerading as Mr. Modi for not taking a decision on the new railway zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam.

“Our MP K. Haribabu is exerting pressure on the Centre, and a decision on the zone will be announced shortly,” he said.

Referring to the SCS, he said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had gone on record saying that financial package was better than SCS. As alliance partners, they should adhere to the coalition dharma, he added.