States Watch

YSR Padayatra Draws Huge Crowd

Andhra Pradesh CLP Leader, Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy addressing a rally during his padayatra to protest the state government’s apathy towards drought-hit areas.

HYDERABAD : Dr. YS Rajasekhar Reddy, the CLP Leader, has been touring the drought affected areas (from Chevella, RR district to Ichapuram of Srikakulam district) of Andhra Pradesh. On 29th April, 2003, he visited the Kamalapur Assembly Constituency in Karimnagar district and addressed a meeting at Kamalapur. Shri D. Sreedhar Babu, MLA, Karimnagar DCC president, presided the meeting.

Shri B. Venkateswera Rao, J. Ratnakar Rao, K. Satyanarayana Gowd, Ponnala Laxmaiah, T. Jivan Reddy, B. Saraiah, MLAs, Rajagopal, Lanco, and other Congress functionaries also participated in the meeting.

- T. Sammi Reddy
Media Convenor, APCC, Hyderabad

Hunger Strike For Water

APCC president M Satyanarayana Roa, former Union minister G Venkatswamy, PCC general secretary P Sudhakar Reddy and City Congress Committee president Anjan Kumar Yadav. among others at a hunger strike camp organised by the Hyderabad City Congress Committee.

HYDERABAD : The Congress workers, under the leadership of City Congress president, Shri Anjan Kumar Yadav staged a mass hunger strike at the Indira Park here on 4 March, urging the state government to immediately initiate steps to bring Krishna water to the twin cities as people were going through severe hardships for want of drinking water.

Shri Anjan Kumar Yadav warned of launching agitation and resorting to ‘direct action’ if the government failed in bringing water from the Krishna river to this twin city. The gathering was also addressed by APCC president, Shri M. Satyanarayana Rao and CLP leader, Shri Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Shri Rao strongly criticised the government for not solving the drinking water problem and alleged that the state government was keeping people of the city under illusions but is not keen in making any sincere efforts to get water from Krishna. He accused the Telegu Desam government of spending all the money it borrowed from international agencies for beautification and construction of Hi-Tec City, neglecting its duty in providing basic facilities like water, food and shelter.

The same day an eight-member Congress delegation from Krishna district called on Governor S.S. Barnala and submitted a memorandum highlighting the drought-situation in the district.

PONDICHERRY : The Pondicherry Youth Congress staged a massive protest rally here on 3 March against the corrupt and anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA government. Later, a demonstration was held where PYC president Shri K. Pandian, who led the demonstration and PYC general secretry, Shri VK Sreekandan, and Pondicherry Congress Committee president, Shri V. Narayanaswamy spoke. Former chief minister, Shri Ramaswamy, legislators, Pondicherry Congress Committee office-bearers, frontal wing leaders and thousands of Pondicherry Youth Congress activists participated.