Union Minister M M Pallam Raju today faced the ire of Seema-Andhra agitators on his visit to his Lok Sabha constituency in Kakinada.   The agitators greeted him with black flags when he travelled between Annavaram town and Kakinada, his Lok Sabha constituency. Police intervened and pushed back the protesters who tried to block the Congress MP's cavalcade.    

Soon after reaching Kakinada, Raju was gheraoed by leaders and members of Joint Action Committee, comprising government employees, who staged a demonstration near his residence and asked him to clarify his stand on the ongoing agitation against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.  

The minister made a brief speech at a nearby spot and explained to the agitators circumstances leading to the Union Cabinet's nod early this month to Telangana creation and his resignation in protest.        

Raju said he had to remain silent and not press for acceptance of his resignation on advice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. 

He assured the slogan-shouting crowd he would strive to ensure justice to Seemandhra people on key issues such as drinking water, irrigation, education and employment by placing "facts" before the Group of Ministers, looking into modalities of carving out a separate state of Telangana.         Amidst loud protests, he cut short speech and headed towards his residence under police escort.