Ponnam Begins Fast-Unto-Death For Medical College

Despite the police refusing permission, Congress leader and former MP Ponnam Prabhakar today commenced a "fast-to-death" outside his residence demanding that the state government set up a medical college at Karimnagar.

DCC president Mruthyunjayam, and several leaders of opposition parties and people's organizations extended support to Ponnam's hunger strike. Congress activists formed a ring around him when the police objected to his fast saying that there would be a traffic jam.

CLP deputy leader T Jeevan Reddy visited the hunger strike camp and pledged his solidarity with Ponnam, and slammed the hostile attitude of the state government and the police.

CLP leader K Jana Reddy too pitched in his support for the fast, and lashed out at Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao asking why he was discriminating against Karimnagar which gave him his political life.

"Ponnam Prabhakar has undertaken a hunger strike for the setting up of a medical college at Karimnagar, while KCR, despite being the CM, doesn't even address the issue despite proomising the college," he said.

Reddy pointed out that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government had accorded permission for the setting up of a medical college at Karimnagar long back. He also promised that the Congress would set up medical college at Karimnagar after returning to power.