With no concrete assurance from Ministers Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and A. Suresh during their talks on Tuesday, the activists of the Markapur District Sadana Samiti(MDSS) on Wednesday stepped up their stir to press for carving out a separate district from Prakasam with Markapur as the headquarters.

Sensing that the political situation might go against the interests of the party in the region that had returned YSRCP nominees to the State Assembly in all the five Assembly segments in western parts of the district, the Ministers called a delegation of MDSS leaders to Amaravati for a round of talks. But the meeting ended without any positive outcome, MDSS sources said.

As a result, the irate activists led by MDSS chairman K. Narayana Reddy blocked vehicular traffic near the court centre in Markapur town to exert pressure on the Jagan Mohan Reddy government from the region to concede their demand for formation of a new district comprising the Assembly segments of Kanigiri, Darsi, Giddalur, Yerragondalpalem and Markapur.
It was unfortunate that the YSRCP legislators from western parts of Prakasam district failed to take up the popular demand with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, lamanted MDSS Convener Sk Saida.

Relay hunger strike enters 29th day

Members of the Markapur Photographers Association came in a big procession and joined the relay hunger strike by the MDSS activists for the 29th day on Wednesday. They won the hearts of MDSS activists and others by providing passport size photographs to them free of cost at the protest venue.

Similar protests were organised in, among other places, Kanigiri, Yerragondapalem and Giddalur.