Four Telugu Desam leaders, including two legislators, today launched an indefinite hunger strike in Vijayawada opposing the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh even as a TDP MLA from Telangana region quit the party to protest its “doublespeak” on the issue.
TDP MLAs Devineni Umamaheswara Rao (Mylavaram) and Chinnam Ramakotaiah (Nuzividu), along with former Mayor of Vijayawada city Panchumarthi Anuradha and party leader B Umamaheswara Rao sat on the indefinite fast.
On the other hand, TDP MLA Ch Ramesh from Karimnagar became the second party legislator from Telangana region to quit over the issue.
He submitted resignation both from his assembly membership as well as the party in protest against the TDP’s “doublespeak” on the matter of Telangana.
TDP MLA from Narsampet constituency in Warangal district, Revuri Prakash Reddy, submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy yesterday.
Prakash Reddy, who said he was protesting against “resignation of fellow MLAs”, had also denounced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that “nothing will be done in haste” on the issue of the separate state.
Sources in TDP said party leaders from Telangana region have been mounting pressure on its chief N Chandrababu Naidu to support the resolution on creation of a separate state as per the decision taken by the party’s politburo last year.
