Hyderabad: Congress legislator Komatireddy Venkat Reddy Tuesday launched an indefinite hunger strike to ask the central government to initiate the process to carve out a separate Telangana state.
Venkat Reddy, who resigned as minister last month to protest the delay in forming Telangana, began the fast in Nalgonda town in the presence of some party MPs from the region.
"I am ready to sacrifice my life for the cause of Telangana. There is no question of calling off the fast," he told a huge gathering.
Venkat Reddy alleged that ministers from Telangana were the main hurdle in the formation of a separate state.
Congress MPs and former state ministers criticized their own party for not taking a clear stand in favour of Telangana.
Rajya Sabha member K. Keshava Rao said it was a shame that Congress MPs participating in Telangana movement were being implicated in false cases and sent to jail.
MPs K. Rajagopal Reddy, G. Vivek and Ponnam Prabhakar were also present.
In New Delhi, freedom fighter and former state minister Konda Laxman Bapuji Tuesday began a week-long "satyagrah" at Jantar Mantar, demanding statehood for Telangana.
Congress MP Madhu Goud Yaskhi, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators E. Dayakar Rao, M. Narasimhulu and leaders of various Telangana groups took part in the protest.
The veteran leader will fast from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day for seven days.
IANS
