Jagan Mohan Reddy taken into preventive custody on day 5 of hunger strike against Andhra Pradesh bifurcation

Mr Reddy was taken to the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences



Hyderabad: Politician Jagan Mohan Reddy, who  had been on a hunger strike  for five days to protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, was forcibly moved to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) tonight after the police took him into preventive custody.

Before he was escorted away from outside his office where he has been fasting, Mr Reddy  told a large crowd of supporters "2014 will be a referendum" on the centre's decision to turn the region of Telangana into a state.

Earlier today, doctors said that the 40-year-old was severely dehydrated but he refused to end his fast.
 

In Delhi this evening, his mother, Vijayamma, met BJP president Rajnath Singh, triggering speculation that an alliance between the two parties is a work-in-progress. Recently, Mr Reddy, who was released last month from jail and is being investigated for corruption, praised the BJP's candidate for prime minister, Narendra Modi, as an efficient administrator. However, Mr Reddy urged the BJP leader to demonstrate his commitment to secularism.

Since Mr Reddy took charge of the YSR Congress party in 2011, he has proven that he is an emerging force in regional politics with strong performances in local elections.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that an alliance with Mr Reddy could be considered by his party after the national elections are held. But Mr Reddy has been less kind towards the party that his father belonged to.

Over the weekend, he targeted its president Sonia Gandhi for the decision to split Andhra Pradesh into two because "someone wanted their son to be Prime Minister." The reference was to her son, Rahul, and to the recurring criticism that the Congress wants to create a Telangana state for dividends in the national elections, due by May.

On fast against Telangana, Chandrababu Naidu backed new state in 2008 letter: Congress

New Delhi: Politician Chandrababu Naidu, who is on an indefinite fast to protest against the division of Andhra Pradesh for a separate Telangana state, has taken a complete U-turn from his stand five years ago, claims the ruling Congress.

The party today alleged that Chandrababu Naidu, who heads the regional Telugu Desam Party (TDP), had supported the creation of Telangana in a letter to the Centre in 2008.

The Congress circulated Mr Naidu's letter dated October 18, 2008, to then Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, in which he says a core committee of senior TDP leaders had taken the views of people and backed Telangana.

"The politburo of TDP has discussed thoroughly on the conclusions arrived at by the core committee and agreed with its recommendations in favour of a separate Telangana state," the letter quotes Mr Naidu as saying.

On Monday, the TDP leader had been ambivalent on whether Telangana deserves statehood. He told NDTV, "In those circumstances we had supported Telangana but now the government hasn't followed proper procedure - it took a decision - there is no consensus within the Congress."

The Congress also says YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, also on a protest fast, had said in a letter to Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde last year that, "We respect the sentiments of the people of Telangana....All that we request from you is a solution acceptable to all without injustice to anyone."

Jagan, who broke away from the Congress to lead the breakaway YSR Congress after the death of his father YSR Reddy in 2009, sharpened his stand after the seething anger and protests in the two other parts of Andhra Pradesh - Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema collectively known as Seemandhra.

The waffling by these parties reflects the dilemma that Telangana represents for many parties -  it is politically strategic and will elect 17 parliamentarians once it is a state; on the other hand, leaders from the non-Telangana areas of Andhra Pradesh say voters will not forgive them for ceding the separation of the financially robust region.

Telangana protests: power crisis hits Andhra Pradesh hospitals, newborns suffer

 Hyderabad:  The Centre's decision to create a new Telangana state has paralysed Andhra Pradesh with blackouts severely affecting the health services across the state. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy yesterday told NDTV that he did not rule out resigning if the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was pushed through.

Here are the latest developments: 

 

 

 

 

1. Essential health services across the state have been badly hit. In Visakhapatnam, power cuts have hit King George Hospital, the only super-specialty government hospital in the region, resulting in most of the incubators not working. Lack of air conditioners have affected patients with burn injuries and other such ailments.
   
   
2. The ongoing strike by 30,000 power sector employees has left the state crippled. The chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have written to the central electricity authority warning of possible tripping in their states due to feared collapse of the southern grid. The Union Cabinet is expected to meet today to discuss the power situation in Andhra Pradesh.
   
3. Tirupati and Vijayawada airports are running on backup power. The Vijayawada-based 1760 MW Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station, for the first time in its history, has completely shut down, with all seven generating units stopped. State capital Hyderabad is also witnessing blackouts.
   
   
4. Most industrial establishments and shops are running on backup power. Drinking water supply, train services, petrol availability and hospital services are all badly hit. 150 diesel locomotives are being used to run passenger and express trains while goods trains are stranded at various stations.
   
5. The precautionary curfew in Vizianagram in coastal Andhra Pradesh - epicentre of united Andhra protests - continues for the fourth day today, following violence last week.
   
6. Congress leaders and ministers from Seemandhra met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday evening after many of them resigned to protest against Telangana. Chiranjeevi, who resigned as Tourism Minister, said, "The PM is yet to accept our resignation. He has asked for more time."
   
7. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy yesterday said the Congress has created a bigger problem in trying to solve one problem. Mr Reddy said that the people are frightened of the consequences of the state's bifurcation and that is why there is anger and agitation on the streets.
   
   
8. Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana have welcomed the plans to convert them into India's 29th state. Hyderabad will be the shared capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the next 10 years, after which it will belong to Telangana.
   
9. A politics of hunger strikes over Telangana is also on with Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu deciding to go on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi yesterday. YSR Congress's Jagan Mohan Reddy is on indefinite fast in Hyderabad since Saturday.
   
   
10. The Congress has indicated it will not change its mind over Telangana. Party leader Digvijaya Singh expressed surprise at what he called a u-turn by Jagan and Chandrababu Naidu. "Congress is a national party, how can it change its decision?" he said.

Telangana crisis: Am using Italian so Centre understands, Chandrababu Naidu targets Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Politician Chandrababu Naidu today said that since the Centre doesn't seem to understand the extent of the crisis in Andhra Pradesh, he will use Italian to explain. Mr Naidu, who heads the regional Telugu Desam Party, said that Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema are "immobilismo". For those not fluent in Italian, Mr Naidu added, "Things are at a standstill. Total standstill."

His jibe is aimed at Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Congress party, which anchors the ruling coalition at the Centre and decided last week that the process of dividing Andhra Pradesh to create a new state of Telangana must begin immediately. (Fasting and aiming at Sonia: Jagan went first, Chandrababu followed)

That move has registered high on the Richter scale, triggering huge aftershocks in the 13 districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema which are the two other regions of Andhra Pradesh, and are collectively referred to as Seemandhra.
   

Mr Naidu began an indefinite fast in Delhi today to support the demand for a "United Andhra." However, he refused to answer a question on whether he thinks Telangana deserves statehood.

His political opponents accuse him of doublespeak, because in 2008, he wrote to the Centre supporting the movement for statehood for Telangana. In his defense, his party says he is fighting to protect Seemandhra's interests, and to oppose what they describe as the Centre's unilateral decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Naidu's decision to fast in Delhi, thousands of miles from the front line of aggressive protests in Seemandhra, is being seen as an attempt to gain credibility and dispel the impression that he is following the lead of his political rival, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who began a hunger strike in Hyderabad on Saturday.

High on the list of concerns for leaders from these areas is grappling with a future devoid of the booming economy of IT hub Hyderabad, which will be a shared capital for 10 years, but will then belong to Telangana state.

There is anger against the party and us: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister

"While trying to solve a problem, Congress created a bigger one," says Kiran Kumar Reddy, describing decision to divide Andhra Pradesh as "very harsh".

Protests against Telangana, powerless in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad:  Protests against a decision to create Telangana state have left Andhra Pradesh staring at a major power crisis. I-T city Hyderabad has been suffering power cuts since morning and several trains have been cancelled, with thousands of electricity employees staying away from work. In another city in coastal Andhra, there is a shoot-at-sight order since large-scale violence on Saturday.

Here are 10 big developments in this story:

1. Over 30,000 striking electricity employees say they will continue their protests for at least two more weeks. Their agitation has shut down six of the seven units at the power plant in Vijayawada, which meets over a third of the state's power demand.
2. The Vijayawada plant shutdown has led to a shortfall of over 3,500 megawatts, forcing authorities to resort to long power cuts in Hyderabad and several other cities. Officials even fear a collapse of the southern grid, which caters to neighbouring states.
3. "Large parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, also known as Seemandhra, have been affected by the protests and the power crisis. Reports say ATMs are not functioning in cities like Vijayawada, while several trains have been cancelled since yesterday.
4. There is a shoot-at-sight order and curfew at Vizianagaram town in coastal Andhra Pradesh after violence and arson over the weekend by anti-Telangana protesters. Protesters allegedly set a bank on fire and damaged public and private properties.
5. Some 70,000 striking government employees have not taken their salary for the past two months, ever since the ruling Congress gave in to demands for carving out Telangana, with Hyderabad as its capital.
6. Telangana is one of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh.  The other two - the 13 districts of Seemandhra as the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions are jointly called - are in total shutdown.
7. Factions in the Congress have alleged that the protests have the backing of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who belongs to Seemandhra and has publicly opposed the division of Andhra Pradesh. Sources have ruled out any action against Mr Reddy but say the ruling Congress is closely watching how the Chief Minister handles the crisis.
8. Sources say the Congress may have persuaded union ministers K Chiranjeevi and Pallam Raju not to press for their resignations. The two leaders, along with Kotal Surya Prakash Reddy had resigned as ministers last week to protest against Telangana.
9. Anti-Telangana protests have triggered competitive fasts by politicians. After YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, now Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu has launched an indefinite fast.
10. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has accused both Mr Naidu and Jagan of changing their stand on Telangana, with an eye on polls next year. Both had been seen to be ambiguous about the proposed new state earlier as they drew their support from the non-Telangana regions.

Telangana crisis: Jagan Mohan Reddy fasts in Hyderabad, Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi

New Delhi: In May 2008, Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party or TDP passed a resolution supporting the decision to carve out Telangana, one of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh, as India's 29th state.

Today, Mr Naidu has begun what he describes as an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi to protest against the bifurcation of his state. His political opponents accuse him of doublespeak; his party says he is fighting to protect Seemandhra's interests, and to oppose what they describe as the centre's unilateral decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.  (Telangana crisis: 10-point cheat sheet)

Accusing the ruling Congress of "match-fixing", Mr Naidu told reporters this morning that the party" took this decision for political gains." Mr Naidu's decision to fast in Delhi, thousands of miles from the front line of aggressive protests in Seemandhra, is being seen as an attempt to gain credibility and dispel the impression that he is following the lead of his political rival, Jagan Mohan Reddy, who began a hunger strike in Hyderabad yesterday.

Last week, the union government green-lit the plan to begin the creation of the state of Telangana, a decision that registered high on the Richter scale of controversy, triggering huge protests in the 13 districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema which are the two other regions of Andhra Pradesh, and are collectively referred to as Seemandhra.

High on the list of concerns for leaders from these areas is how water, power and revenue will be distributed between the old and new states. What matters most is grappling with a future devoid of the booming economy of IT hub Hyderabad, which will be a shared capital for 10 years, but will then belong to Telangana state.

After Telangana becomes a state, it will elect 21 members to the Lok Sabha, matching the number of parliamentary seats from Seemandhra. The Congress expects its decision to reward it with a sweep in Telangana that will compensate for the anger against it in the other two regions.

We want Mohabbat-nagars, and not Muzaffarnagars: Jagan tells

YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is on an indefinite fast to protest against the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, speaking exclusively to NDTV, says he wants the entire state to be united. "Telangana, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra, I want the entire state to be united... Not right to discriminate against someone because they are born in a particular religion. Every party should become secular. We want Mohabbat-Nagars, and not Muzaffarnagars," he said.

Narendra Modi a good administrator, but he should make BJP 'secular': Jagan Mohan Reddy

Hyderabad: Jagan Mohan Reddy, who began an indefinite fast yesterday to protest against the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, has said that he hopes the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is able to give the party a 'secular' tag.

"How can you discriminate against someone just because they are born with a particular region. This kind of insecurity leads to internal terrorism. This situation should change and Narendra Modi should change the BJP. Every party should be secular," Mr Reddy told NDTV last night. He also said that that it is 'indisputable' that the Gujarat Chief Minister is a good administrator.

Earlier, Mr Reddy amped up his attack considerably against the Congress.

"Someone wanted their son to become PM and divided the state," Mr Reddy said referring to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and her son Rahul, who is No. 2 in the party.

The government's decision earlier this week to carve out one of the three regions in Andhra Pradesh as a new state has left the other two parts, jointly referred to as 'Seemandhra', seething with protests. Today was the second day of the strike in the 13 districts in the region.
Mr Reddy and his party, the YSR Congress, draw their support from Seemandhra.

Yesterday, Mr Reddy challenged the Congress to explain why it cannot reverse the decision on Telangana given that just last week it withdrew a contentious executive order designed to protest convicted MPs after Mr Gandhi described it as 'nonsense.'

Mr Reddy's father, YSR Reddy, was a senior Congressman and Chief Minister of the state when he died in a chopper crash in 2009. Mr Reddy exited the party, claiming he had been sidelined by the Congress.

He left jail just 11 days ago after spending more than a year in prison on corruption charges. The case against him is still being investigated.

Our engineering students won't get jobs: Jagan Mohan Reddy on Telangana

New Delhi: Politician Jagan Mohan Reddy says he will begin an indefinite fast tomorrow to protest against the centre's decision to divide Andhra Pradesh by carving out one of its three regions, Telangana, as a new state.

"Just see the plight of my state," Mr Reddy said, on a day when huge protests were held in the two regions of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, whose 13 districts will comprise Andhra Pradesh according to the new blueprint approved by the cabinet last evening.

"Is it justifiable to split the state without an assembly resolution? What kind of democracy are we living in when people intentionally choose to ignore the assembly?" he asked.

Hyderabad, the prosperous IT city, will be a shared capital for 10 years after which it will belong to Telangana, which factors heavily in the concerns of those fighting the new state.

"When an engineering student graduates, where will he go to get a job?" asked Mr Reddy, referencing the fear factor that Telangana will make Hyderabad jobs  off-limits for outsiders.

The 40-year-old leader asked why the decision on Telangana cannot be reversed; after all, he said, the government has just withdrawn a controversial executive order that allowed MPs convicted in criminal cases to remain in office.  

Mr Reddy heads the YSR Congress, founded and  named after his father and former chief minister YSR Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash in 2009.  When he was not chosen to replace his father as chief minister, Mr Reddy exited the Congress. He was recently released on bail after spending more than a year in prison on corruption charges.

Like other leaders who have censured the centre for dividing Andhra Pradesh, Mr Reddy alleged that the government's decision is motivated entirely by the approaching national elections. After the split, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will have 21 parliamentary seats each. The Congress is likely to be rewarded heavily in Telangana for making it a state. The bifurcation is also expected to help the party to check the potential of Mr Reddy and other parties