The State is set to witness relay hunger strikes across the 13 districts for three days from May 22 seeking special category status (SCS). The SCS Sadhana Samithi, which is spearheading the movement in the state for the past three years is now, appears to be strong with the government employees too joining it.

The Samithi had given a call to the gram panchayats to organise fasts and also to pass resolutions seeking special category status. The copies of these resolutions will be sent to the President seeking his intervention. As the ruling Telugu Desam Party is also involved in the fight, it is believed that the government would send unofficial instructions to the gram panchayats to hold emergency meetings and subsequently pass the resolutions, besides holding the relay fasts in their respective places.

AP NGOs president Ashok Babu, who is now in the eye of the storm with the BJP taking objection to his campaigning in Karnataka, declared that he would be active in the protest seeking the special category status. As the one who led the Samaikyandhra movement in the past, he claims he has the right to fight for the special category status and he is not guided by the government rules now. A few months only left for his retirement, he is also planning to plunge into active politics soon. He is said to be in favour of the ruling Telugu Desam Party which had promised him an MLC seat later this year.

The protest, with the peoples’ organisations and the government employees coming together now, is likely to be strong in raising voice against the BJP leadership at the Centre which had denied the bifurcation benefits to the State. Interestingly, the SCS Sadhana Samithi, which is headed by Chalasani Srinivas, has the support of all political parties, including the TDP now and is set to intensify the agitation.