Andhra Pradesh

Kadapa steel plant protest gains steam

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KADAPA: The health condition of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP CM Ramesh and MLC BTech Ravi is fast deteriorating, with their indefinite fast for the steel plant in Kadapa entering the fifth day on Sunday.

RIMS Director Dr N Shashidhar and Superintendent Dr T Giridhar examined the fasting MP and MLC in the morning and in the evening. They advised them to take complete rest. Later, Dr Shashidhar told media persons that MP Ramesh has lost three kilos of weight and BTech Ravi six kilos due to their five-day fast.

The sugar levels of Ramesh have fallen by 52 milligrams while BTech Ravi’s by 62 milligrams. He said that the health condition of the fasting leaders is alarming. The doctors are sending the health reports of the fasting leaders to the district collector and the SP. The two fasting leaders did not address the gathering on Sunday.

Ministers N Chinarajappa, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Kalava Srinivasulu, P Pulla Rao and C Adinarayana Reddy, MP TG Venkatesh, film director K Raghavendra Rao, TTD Trust Board member and MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and APNGO State president P Ashok Babu visited the fasting leaders and extended their solidarity.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Ganta reminded that Visakhapatnam was a small town before the establishment of the steel factory. Now Visakhapatnam has developed into one of the major cities in the country after the establishment of the steel factory. He emphasised the need for setting up the steel plant in Kadapa as promised for the development of Rayalaseema region.

Ministers Chinarajappa, Srinivasulu and Pulla Rao, MLA Umamaheswara Rao, MP Venkatesh and APNGO State president Ashok Babu demanded that the Centre respond to the fast-unto-death agitation of the TDP leaders. Former Union Steel Minister A Sai Prathap and MLA Jitendra Goud were also present.
Meanwhile, the agitation for the steel plant in Kadapa is gaining momentum with people from different sections of the society organising protests in different forms.

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