'TRS chief's health condition deteriorating'

The health condition of Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrasekhar Rao is deteriorating due to his fast-unto-death, but he is refusing medical treatment, a senior government official said on Tuesday night.

"Doctors, who came from Hyderabad, have examined him. They said he needs medical treatment immediately. He has not taken any food today, but he is not cooperating. He is refusing treatment," Khammam district collector Usha Rani told mediapersons at Khammam.

"He says he has been misunderstood over continuing the fast. We are trying to convince him. We are even ready to shift him to a super-specialty hospital," she said.

The local court and the State Human Rights Commission have directed that Rao be provided treatment quickly, she said. The collector called on Rao at the government hospital at Khammam where he is being treated.

Rao had called off his fast-unto-death at the hospital on  night but resumed it following criticism from Telangana protagonists for withdrawing the protest within two days.

Expressing anger over the TRS president's decision to withdraw the fast, students and other supporters of separate statehood demand declared that they would take ahead their movement without the involvement of TRS.

In the wake of the criticism, Rao asserted that he did not call off the fast. Earlier, police allegedly whisked away from the hospital several TRS leaders, including Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew Fairish Rao, who were staying with him.