Fasting wife of Andhra minister shifted to hospital

Hyderabad, Aug 16: Wife of an

minister, who was on fast for last six days in

town opposing state's bifurcation, was forcibly shifted to a hospital by the police in the early hours of Friday.

Thota Vani, wife of Stamps and Registration Minister Thota Narasimham, was bodily lifted by police women and taken to government-run hospital.

She was on fast for last six days at Kakinada in East Godavari district to demand the centre to reverse its decision to carve out separate Telangana state. With her condition showing deterioration, police forcibly shifted her to hospital.

Digvijaya Singh, Congress general secretary incharge of party affairs in the state, Thursday spoke to Vani and urged her to call off the hunger strike. Thota Narasimham is one of the eight ministers from Seemandhra who have already submitted their resignations to protest state's division.

Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by YSR Congress party legislator Srikant Reddy and former Kadapa mayor Ravindernath Reddy at Kadapa entered the fifth day Friday. Doctors said their blood sugar and sodium levels had come down and if they continued their fast, their condition may deteriorate.

Two other legislators of YSR Congress are also continuing their fast for the second day Friday.

IANS