Protests against the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh continued for the ninth consecutive day on Thursday in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the state with massive rallies and demonstrations.

Hundreds of supporters of united Andhra Pradesh including students and members of different organisations took out rallies in Chittoor, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur, Prakasam, Nellore, Guntur, Krishna, West and East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Seemandhra employees working in Secretariat held a silent protest rally here while at some places in the Seemandhra districts the protesters wore blind-folds during a demonstration.
Some protesters also took to the street bare-chested and carried out bike rallies in Chittoor, Kadapa and Srikakulam districts.

While relay hunger strike was held by protesters at Lalchervu in Rajahmundry, others formed human chains and squatted on roads protesting the Congress and UPA's decision to create Telangana.

Raising slogans against TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, they also chanted slogans in support of united Andhra Pradesh like 'Jai-Jai Samaikyandhra' and held placards that read 'One Language-One State'.

Over 1,000 people have been taken into preventive custody in connection with the agitation by supporters of united Andhra Pradesh. Besides, 221 people were arrested so far and as many as 124 criminal cases were registered against the protesters in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra districts in the wake of the Samaikyandhra agitation, police earlier said.

A report from East Godavari district said in Rajahmundry Congress activiststook out a rally supporting united Andhra Pradesh.

Ramachandrapuram MLA Thota Trimurthulu took out a padyatra while another MLA Kanna Babu performed a fire ritual ('homam') at Sarpavaram junction in Kakinada. Bike rallies were organised by students at Kakinada.

Protests were held Amalapuram, Ramchandrapuram, Tuni, Kothapeta, Mummidivaram and other parts of the district.