Byreddy Fasts For Rayalaseema State

Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy, the founder president of Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi, on Saturday, launched his 96-hour hunger strike, the "Rayalaseema Melukolupu Deeksha" in front of the Sri Krishnadevarayulu statue in Kurnool.

While sitting for the protest, Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy said that the deeksha is aimed at safeguarding the self-respect and interests of the people of the perennially drought-prone Rayalaseema region.

Reiterating, however, that he is opposed to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, he called upon all parties to make their stand on statehood clear and to put an end to the uncertainty in the state.

Stating that the TDP was in no way connected to the deeksha, he came down heavily on its leaders for suspecting party president N Chandrababu Naidu's hand behind the demand of a separate Rayalaseema state. He alleged that leaders of the Congress had launched a malicious campaign against Naidu, suspecting his hand behind the Rayalaseema demand, in order to get mileage on the statehood issue and divert the attention of people.

Byreddy said that he has not raised this demand to scuttle the chances of the formation of a Telangana, but to create awareness on keeping the state united.

Earlier, Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy and Rayalaseema Rashtra Samithi president Kuncham Venkatasubba Reddy performed an abhishekham for the Sri Krishnadevarayulu statue, before sitting for the hunger strike. (INN)