No sign of progress in Telangana crisis

Hyderabad: The political deadlock in Andhra Pradesh over the proposed division of the state and the protests in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions continued for the sixth day Wednesday.

The "fast unto death" by Congress MP in Vijayawada L. Rajagopal and Congress legislator Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy in Kadapa entered the second day.

The indefinite hunger strike by Teludu Desam Party (TDP) legislators in Vijayawada and Anantapur also entered the fourth day.

Rallies, demonstrations, road and rail blockades as well as relay hunger strikes continued in most parts of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema against New Delhi's decision to start the process to carve out of Andhra Pradesh the new Telangana state, comprising ten districts including Hyderabad.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various districts. However, Inspector General of Police A.R. Anuradha told reporters here that the situation was by and large peaceful.

Protests are continuing at Sri Krishnadevaraya University in Anantapur, which witnessed clashes between students and police Tuesday.

Police forcibly moved a TDP legislator and former Vijayawada mayor from his hunger strike camp to a hospital after his condition deteriorated.

Some students who were on hunger strike at Andhra University in the coastal city of Visakhapatnma were also forcibly moved to hospital.

Meeting called

Meanwhile, Congress legislators from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions met here and decided to go to New Delhi on December 21 to meet the party's central leaders to demand that the government drop its move to form a Telangana state.

The legislators also decided to work at the national level with other parties opposed to the division of the states.

As many as 139 legislators including 80 of the Congress have submitted their resignations to Speaker Kirankumar Reddy. The speaker has not yet accepted the resignations.