Upset with the lukewarm response to their 50-day stir, members of the Markapur District Sadana Samiti(MDSS) launched an indefinite fast on Friday demanding formation of a new district comprising western parts of Prakasam district.
The agitators led by MDSS Chairman Kandula Narayana Reddy lamented that the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government allegedly remained indifferent to the popular demand for carving out from Prakasam district a new district comprising the Assembly segments of Darsi, Kanigiri, Yerragondapalem, Giddalur and Markapur.
Drawing inspiration from Potti Sriramulu, whose supreme life sacrifice led to formation of linguistic States in the country, they would fast-unto-death to achieve the demand, said MDSSS convenor and Pradesh Congress Spokesman Sk Saida.
Telugu Desam Party MLA Dola Balaveeranjenyaswamy and former YSR Congress Party MLA P. David Raju visited the fasting venue and expressed solidarity with the agitators. As many as 9,665 petitions had been submitted to the State government to press the demand for decentralised administration for speedier development of western Prakasam, they said.