YSR Congress party honorary president Y S Vijayamma has decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike from August 19 to protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, party sources said here today.
The YSR Congress city unit has also finalised a venue close to the busy M G Road for the hunger strike by the mother of jailed party supremo Jagan Mohan Reddy, they said.
YSR Congress leaders and former legislators S Udaya Bhanu and Jaleel Khan told reporters here today that Vijayamma decided to go on a hunger strike only to protect the interests of the people of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and non-Telangana regions) by not allowing the Congress to bifurcate the state.
Two party MLAs -- Amaranatha Reddy and K Srinivasulu are already on hunger strike in their respective constituencies, Rajampeta and Kodur in Kadapa district, against the division of Andhra Pradesh. Eleven supporters of Srinivasulu have also joined him in his fast.
The YSR Congress leaders also asked Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President Chandrababu Naidu to resign as a legislator to protect the interests of the Seemandhra people and alleged that he is still playing double games on the statehood issue, which is against the interests of the Seemadhra people.
As a leader from the Seemandhra region, it is Naidu's responsibility to protect the interests of the people of that region from being affected due to bifurcation, they said.
