The condition of the fasting Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president, K. Chandrasekhara Rao, worsened on Tuesday and the medical team attending on him said it could no longer sustain him on artificial medical management.
As the news spread, TRS cadres made a beeline for the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), raising slogans and telling the media that a “Telangana without KCR is not acceptable to us.”
NIMS Director D. Prasada Rao told reporters at noon that Mr. Rao, whose fast entered the 10th day, was not cooperating with the doctors and there was a definite decline in his health. He was showing signs of protein malnutrition and becoming weaker. Artificially propping up his health had its own repercussions on a longer time. He should break his fast immediately to improve his health and strength.
Three hours later, Mr. Rao started cooperating with the medical team, a hospital bulletin said.
Although the day passed off relatively peaceful in the Telangana region, the Andhra Pradesh government mobilised additional forces following the “chalo Assembly” on December 10 called by the Joint Action Committee of students, who later said it would only be a peace rally.
TRS leader T. Harish Rao said Chief Minister K. Rosaiah would do well during his visit to New Delhi on Wednesday to persuade Congress president Sonia Gandhi to announce a separate Telangana state instead of resorting to police “repression” against the agitators or allowing “goondas” from Rayalaseema to create disturbances.
Divergent views emerged from the Congress on tackling the situation as there was no word from the party’s central leadership. Groups within the party voiced parallel demands for creation of not just Telangana but North Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, besides Union Territory status for Hyderabad.
No sooner than Telangana Ministers Danam Nagender and M.Mukesh Goud raised the issue of UT status for the Twin Cities, two others, D. Sridhar Babu and Komatireddy Venkata Reddy faulted them for “creating confusion.”
Hyderabad was part of Telangana historically and no force could delink it from the region, they said.
On the other hand, a group of Rayalaseema legislators pitched in for “Greater Rayalaseema State,” including Nellore and Prakasam districts.
