Hyderabad, June 28: In the face of increasing attack from his parent party, suspended Telugu Desam (TDP) MLA Nagam Janardhan Reddy is mobilising political support for his proposed two-day fast on July 3 and 4 on Telangana issue, to prove a point to his detractors.
Dr. Reddy, has already sought the support of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) by meeting K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday, and on Monday he called on senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bandaru Dattatreya as part of his homework to make the protest a success.
Sources stated that Dr. Reddy had resolved to prove his mettle, particularly after the TDP Telangana Forum leaders remarked that he was “zero” after quitting the party and to infuse confidence among other TDP leaders supporting him. He also met freedom fighter Konda Laxman Bapuji, K. Dileep Kumar, MLC, and revolutionary singer Vimalakka on Monday to garner their support.
Meanwhile, participating in a meet the press organised by Telangana Journalists’ Forum, Dr. Reddy stated that joining TRS or any other party was not his agenda as he and the leaders supporting him — K. Harishwar Reddy, Jogu Ramanna and Boda Janardhan were focused on carrying on struggle for Telangana without party affiliations.
They were faced with an unbearable situation in TDP in the absence of any support to Telangana cause, Dr. Reddy said and explained that they had given a “long rope” to TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for over a year but he did not relent.
He wondered why leaders from Telangana continued in TDP even after Mr. Naidu stated publicly that he would protect the interests of Telugu speaking people as a whole.
–Agencies