High drama and fasting for Unified Andhra

Even as all eyes were focused on the high drama involving Vijaywada MP L Rajagopal, many other leaders continued their indefinite fast in support of United Andhra Pradesh at as many 49 places across coastal Andhra and Rayala Seema regions.

Condition of one of them -- Telugu Desam Party legislator D Umamaheshwara Rao -- had worsened on Monday and a court in Guntur issued an order to the doctors to forcibly administer saline to him as he was refusing to cooperate or take solid food.

Umamaheshwara Rao, who was on fast for the last ten days, was arrested and shifted to government hospital in Vijaywada on Friday, but he did not break the fast. He was shifted to the NRI Hospital at Mangalgiri in Guntur district on Sunday and doctors were attending on him.

Doctors said his condition was not good and there was fear of further deterioration if he does not start taking food immediately.

In the same Guntur district, another senior TDP leader and former Home Minister, Kodela Sivaprasad Rao, two TDP MLAS P Pulla Rao and G Anjeneyalu, were arrested by the police as they were sitting on indefinite fast and their condition had also worsened after four days of fasting.

Later, another TDP MLC N Rajakumari started indefinite fast at the same place.

In Kadapa district, Congress MLC YS Vivekananda Reddy was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences but he too was not cooperating with the doctors and was adamant on continuing the fast. The local court has issued orders to the doctors to forcibly administer saline to Reddy in view of his weak health condition.

Vivekananda Reddy was on indefinite fast for the last seven days in support of united Andhra Pradesh. He has requested to the government to shift him to NIMS in Hyderabad on the ground that good medical facilities were not available at RIMS in Vijaywada.

In Anantapur, the police ended the six days long fast by the students of Sri Krishnadevaraya University in support of united Andhra Pradesh and shifted them to government hospital.

Meanwhile, stray incidents of violence were reported from several places as bandh was observed in districts of Kadapa, Anantapur, and Chittoor and parts of Nellore, Krishna and Prakasham district.

According to a statement by Director General of Police Girish Kumar, more than 62000 people participated in protests in 900 places. The incidents of violence reported on Monday include burning of the BSNL office at Dharmavaram, attack on a spinning mill at Hindupur in Anantapur district, burning of Tahsildar office in Chittoor district and attacks on vehicles at several places.

In Telangana region, some miscreants damaged the statue of Potti Sriramulu at Khammam and statue of YS Rajasekhara Reddy Marriguda in Karimnagar district.