Vijaywada, Dec 15: Congress MP L Rajagopal, who had threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike to oppose division of Andhra Pradesh, began his fast here on Tuesday.
“I wanted to undertake the fast in Hyderabad yesterday but I was not allowed to do so, I am continuing my fast here,” Mr. Rajagopal told reporters here.
Asserting that the majority of the people do not want division of Andhra Pradesh, he demanded the Centre make a statement that the State would not be bifurcated.
“A resolution should be introduced in the Assembly for Telangana. It should have been done yesterday. About 225 of the 294 MLAs are opposed to Telangana. The resolution is bound to lose and things would have been clear,” the Vijayawada MP said.
Hailing late Chief ministers N.T. Rama Rao and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for keeping Telugu-speaking people united, Mr. Rajgopal demanded that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and actor—turned—politician Chiranjeevi end their support for Telangana.
Rajagopal was shifted to Vijayawada from Hyderabad amid high drama last night.
He was detained in the evening after he staged a sit-in along with 15 Congress MLAs and Praja Rajayam Party (PRP) MLA at Lalbahdur Stadium.
He was taken to Falkunama police station late last night but some TRS and BJP activists stated a protest outside the police station. Subsequently he was taken to Vijayawada.
Praising the leadership of Rajagopal, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) formed for spearheading the agitation for united Andhra Pradesh announced that they will lay siege to the national highway in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the fast-unto-death launched by TDP MLAs D Umameshwara Rao and others in Vijayawada in support of united Andhra entered the third day. Mr. Rao demanded that Lok Sabha members should resign from their posts to mount pressure on the Centre.
Also, protests and bandhs continued across coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions against the division of the State.
Rallies, relay hunger strikes and other forms of protests and demonstrations are being held in all districts of the non-Telangana regions opposing bifurcation of the State.
–Agencies