Mudragada ends fast after fruitful talks with CM’s emissaries

Former minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham hereon Monday called off his hunger strike after successful talks with the representatives of the State government. In the one-and-a-half hour meeting, AP ministers Achchen Naidu, Thota Trimurthulu, Kala Venkata Rao, Boddu Bhaskara Rama Rao and others held fruitful talks with the fasting leader and made him to end his four-day fast. Later, a team of doctors examined Mudragada at his residence. Achchen Naidu and Kala Venkata Rao offered lime juice to the fasting leader.

            Talking to the media later, Achchen Naidu said the talks were successful and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was keen on finding a lasting solution to the grievances of the Kapu community. He said the successive governments in the united Andhra Pradesh have treated Kapus as a vote bank but never made efforts to solve their chronic problems. “Therefore, we have come here and held talks with Mudragada Padmanabham with a conviction to solve the Kapu reservation issue at the behest of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu”, he added.

0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">            Pointing out that the State government has appointed a commission to solve the Kapu reservation issue with a determination to find a permanent solution to the Kapu issue, Achchen Naidu said the State government would release adequate funds to the commission to provide financial assistance to poor and financially backward people in the Kapu community. Stating that the flare-up in Tuni on the day of Kapu meeting caused pain to the people of the State, Naidu said the government was strongly feeling that some anti-social elements masquerading as Kapus resorted to the vandalism. He also said the government would study the case thoroughly and initiate action only against the real culprits and the innocent would not be touched.

            During the parleys, the State government has agreed to count the nine-month deadline given to Manjunatha Commission on Kapu reservations from the date of Cabinet decision. This would effectively bring down the period from nine to less than seven months. The Government also decided to allocate Rs 500 crore for the Kapu welfare and all applications received by the Kapu Development Corporation would be considered positively. The government has agreed to allocate Rs 1000 crore in the coming annual budget. Mudragada's proposal to include a person suggested by him in the BC Welfare Corporation would be placed before the government.