Revolutionary balladeer of the north coastal Andhra Pradesh Mr Vangapandu Prasada Rao today undertook a one-day fast in Visakhapatnam along with students demanding the Centre to keep the state united.

Mr Vangapandu garlanded the statue of Sri Potti Sriramulu on the beach road and paid rich tributes to him before sitting on fast along with 50 Andhra University students. The one day fast coincided with the AP Formation Day celebrations.

While the revolutionary singer and the students sat on fast raising slogans in favour of united AP, BJP leaders also came there to garland the statue of Potti Sriramulu leading to a clash between the supporters of the united AP and the BJP leaders.

The students, buoyed by the presence of Vangapandu there, raised slogans against the BJP leaders and asked them to go back. “Since you are seeking division of the state, you have no right to garland the statue,” they told the BJP leaders.

Finally, police had to intervene to allow the BJP leaders to garland the statue.