Former Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, along with farmers and supporters, began his 48-hour hunger strike for farmers' issues.
Former Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Tuesday began his first official political agitation after resigning from the Congress party and his Parliamentary seat by launching his 48-hour hunger strike along with lakhs of farmers and his supporters, including about a dozen MLAs and 6 MLCs, on the banks of river Krishna, seeking adequate compensation for the rain-hit farmers.
The mass hunger strike is aimed at pressurising the government to immediately purchase discoloured paddy directly from the farmers, reschedule all loans, besides agreeing to a 1-year moratorium on loan repayment, waiver of interest on crop loans besides fresh loans under the Pavala Vaddi Scheme, payment of Rs. 5000 assistance to each farmer, free supply of seeds and fertilizers, and adequate compensation to each weaver family along with a supply of 50 kg of rice.
Another demand is that the kin of the victims who died in the floods should be given Rs. 5 lakh as ex-gratia.
Jagan's mass hunger strike on his birthday drew not only his supporters, but also MLAs belonging to the Congress party, leaders from the Praja Rajyam Party and a host of political migrants, besides over a lakh of farmers and thousands of weavers at the 'YSR Deeksha Pranaganam'.
The former MP began the mass-hunger strike after performing puja at Indrakeeladri, the abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga, along with his supporters on the banks of Krishna river near Prakasam Barrage.
He had earlier reached Vijayawada in the morning by Prashanti Express where he was accorded a warm welcome by his supporters.
The mass of humanity which had converged at the spot seemingly gave credence to the words of his staunch loyalist and suspended PCC general secretary Ambati Rambabu that the 'lakhsa deeksha' would be a 'historic political event'.
Secunderabad Congress Legislator Jayasudha was among the dozen of MLAs and 6 MLCs, apart from ZP and Market Committee leaders, widow of former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, Lakshmi Parvathi, and film actress Roja.
Apart from the leaders, MLAs Konda Surekha, Srikanth Reddy, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, Alla Nani, Dwarampuddi Chandrasekhara Reddy, Gurunatha Reddy, Ramchandra Reddy, Gandi Babji, MLC Pulla Padmavathi, and former Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and and former TTD chairman B Karunakar reddy were amongst the leaders seated beside Jagan.
Praja Rajyam Party MLA Katasani Ram Reddy also extended his solidarity to Jagan's fast.
Courtesy: INN