New year meets echo Ambedkar ideals, student rights, Rayalaseema demands

Kadapa – Andhra Pradesh: New Year celebrations across Andhra Pradesh on January 1, 2026, turned into platforms of protest and resolve as Dalit, student and Left organisations paid tributes to Dr. B R Ambedkar, reaffirmed faith in the Constitution, and announced intensified struggles against what they termed anti-people and anti-student policies of the ruling alliance government.

Tributes to Ambedkar and constitutional values

Leaders of the State Mala Mahanadu and Dalit Samakhya extended New year greetings while paying rich tributes to Dr. B R Ambedkar. Slogans such as “Long Live the Indian Constitution” and “We Will Uphold Ambedkar’s Ideals” were raised, reaffirming commitment to social justice, equality and constitutional values.

Students asked to intensify struggle

Questioning the deepening crisis in the education sector, RSF State President DM Obulesu Yadav called upon students to intensify their movement in 2026. He alleged that in the 20 months of the alliance government, education has suffered severely, with fee reimbursement arrears touching Rs 6,400 crore.

He said the crisis has led to the closure of private colleges, withholding of students’ certificates and denial of access to higher education. Citing unemployment, he stated that nearly 90% of engineering graduates are either jobless or forced into low-paid gig work. He demanded immediate clearance of dues, reopening of 60 closed private degree colleges, strengthening government institutions, stopping privatization of government medical colleges, and ensuring quality education for all.

Broader demands on employment and development

Student leaders also raised long-pending regional demands, including reopening of the Nandalur Alwyn factory, Chennur sugar factory and Proddatur milk factory, establishment of the Kadapa steel plant as per the bifurcation Act, and completion of the Kadapa–Bengaluru railway line. Several student leaders, professionals and district representatives participated in the programme.

RCP calls for mass movements in 2026

Rayalaseema Communist Party (RCP) State Secretary Ravi Shankar Reddy, while extending New Year greetings, expressed hope that governments and officials would act promptly on crimes against women, murders and local grievances. He asserted that the RCP would launch intensified struggles in 2026 on public issues, with a special focus on Rayalaseema’s development.

He announced plans for a massive conference in Kadapa against the removal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and said village-level rallies are underway to mobilise people. Party leaders and farmer representatives attended the New Year programme held at the RCP office.

Call for pro-poor governance

Across the meetings, leaders demanded house plots and housing for the poor, ration cards, pensions, rural employment, action on land irregularities and protection for women, signalling that the new year will witness renewed political and social mobilisations across the region.