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Telangana: Jagan’s sister Sharmila halts 4,000km march over MLC election
Speaking to reporters at Kondapalakagudem village of Nalgonda district, Sharmila said she was halting her padayatra, respecting the rules mandated by the EC. “It is only a pause, and I shall resume the padayatra soon after the model code of conduct comes to an end,” she said.
YSR Telangana party president Y S Sharmila, who has been on a marathon 4,000-km long padayatra (foot march) in Telangana for the last three weeks, announced a break from the trip on Wednesday following the enforcement of the model code of conduct by the Election Commission for next month’s elections to the state legislative council. She has covered over 300km so far.
Speaking to reporters at Kondapalakagudem village of Nalgonda district, Sharmila said she was halting her padayatra, respecting the rules mandated by the EC. “It is only a pause, and I shall resume the padayatra soon after the model code of conduct comes to an end,” she said.
The EC on Tuesday announced that no political rallies, public meetings and padayatras would be allowed in the districts where elections to 12 vacancies in the state legislative council under local bodies’ quota would be held on December 10. The results are out on December 14, and the model code of conduct will end on December 16.
Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, said she had completed 21 days in her padayatra, covering six assembly constituencies – Chevella, Maheshwaram, Shamshabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Devarakonda and Munugode.
“I have covered 150 villages during this period, and the response from the people has been tremendous. The people are pouring out their grievances at every village. Thousands of people have joined hands with us and walked with me,” she said.
She alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has not been able to address the basic needs of the people. “Many of the projects started during the YS Rajasekhar Reddy regime are yet to be completed. In many villages, old people are not getting pensions, and women are not getting loans,” she said.
Sharmila announced that she would take up a 72-hour long fast in Hyderabad from Friday demanding that the K Chandrasekhar Rao government purchase every grain of paddy cultivated in the state instead of throwing the blame on the Centre.
