Visakhapatnam : Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham on Friday launched an indefinite fast along with his wife, demanding reservation for the community in education and jobs in Andhra Pradesh.
The former minister and his wife Padmavati began the fast at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh at 9 a.m.
They are demanding the state government to immediately include Kapus in the list of backward classes (BC) and provide them reservation in education and jobs. They are also seeking Rs 1,900 crore for the Kapu corporation.
Stating that he is fighting for the rights of the community, Padmanabham said he was even prepared to lay down his life for the cause.
Doctors were regularly monitoring the health of the couple. Padmanabham went ahead with the fast, ignoring the appeals by the government to drop his plans. Some leaders of ruling Telugu Desam Party had called on him on Thursday to dissuade him.–IANS