Chandrababu Naidu's health deteriorates as hunger strike enters 7th day

Hyderabad, Dec 23 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Chandrababu Naidu, continued his hunger strike for the seventh day today despite a rapid deterioration in his medical condition.

Naidu has been insisting that his demands for providing relief to rain-hit farmers should be met by the government.

He has rejected several appeals from the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and leaders of different political parties to call off his fast.

Meanwhile, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences Director P V Ramesh said Naidu's condition is deteriorating.

"He (Naidu) needs to take fluids immediately, but he is refusing to do so. Without fluids, the deterioration in his condition will first affect his heart," he added.

However, the TDP and left parties are blocking the national highways today as part of the protest against Government.

The TDP chief has been fasting since Friday to demand more compensation for farmers who had lost their crop in recent rains.

Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh government enhanced the input subsidy from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 6,000 per hectare to farmers who lost their crops in the recent rains in the state.

The government had also announced waiver of interest on farm loans disbursed this season, resulting in a relief of Rs. 350 crore to distressed farmers.

However, Naidu expressed displeasure over the "measly relief" and demanded that the government grant an input subsidy of Rs. 10,000 per acre since the loss was "colossal". (ANI)