Even as the leaders of both Telangana and Andhra-Seema regions were converging on New Delhi to make representations to Antony Committee in support and against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the Congress Party has headlong plunged into the agitation against creation of Telangana State.
Party’s honorary president YS Vijayalakshmi on Monday went on indefinite hunger strike in Guntur city demanding that the Centre should not divide Andhra Pradesh till it ensures justice to both the parts of the State. “I am going on hunger strike on behalf of YS Jagan, who has been jailed on false charges. The Congress was trying to divide Andhra Pradesh for the sake of votes and seats,” she said.
In Kadapa, a total strike was being observed in support of the leaders who were sitting on hunger strike in the town. All the shops were closed and roads were wearing deserted look. As Vijayalakshmki sat on hunger strike after garlanding her late husband YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s statue thousands of supporters and workers of the party shouted slogans in support of united Andhra Pradesh.
In response to the hunger strike by Vijayalakshmi and other leaders of Andhra-Seema regions, Telangana Joint Action Committee has also launched a “hunger strike for harmony” in Hyderabad. Speaking at the hunger strike camp at Indira Park in Hyderabad, TJAC convener Prof Kodanda Ram said that the Centre should immediately take steps to form Telangana State with 10 districts and Hyderabad as its capital. “The people of Telangana should show restraint and there is no need for Andhra-Seema people living in Telangana to be worried,” he said. TNGO leaders Devi Prasad and Srinivas Goud along with Ch Ramaiah, member of legislative council, also participated in the camp.
Not to be left behind in the race to take political mileage from the situation, Telugu Desam leaders in Guntur have also gone on indefinite hunger strike separately. The leaders on the fast include former Minister S Aruna, MlA N Rajkumari MlA Y Srvinivas Rao. In Kurnool former MlC of YSRCP SV Mohan Reddy also went on indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with Vijayalakshmi.
YSRCP, in its stand in favour of integrated Andhra Pradesh has come so far that it has lost its ground completely in Telangana. Earlier party’s all 17 MlAs and both the MPs resigned protesting against the bifurcation of the State. Senior state BJP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy said that all the three parties-Congress, TDP and the YSRCP were locked in a political race to take mileage out of agitation for united Andhra Pradesh. “Vijayalakshmi should clarify the purpose for which she was sitting on hunger strike”, he said.