The opposition YSR Congress Party has postponed the proposed indefinite fast by president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, which was to commence from Saturday from Guntur. The fast is meant to exert pressure on the centre to bestow special status on Andhra Pradesh as assured by the governments- both UPA and NDA. The deeksha is the first step to launch a Telangana like movement for the special status and against TDP governments for its failure to get the special status announced by the NDA government in which it was a partner. The YSRC political advisory committee, which met here, in the backdrop of the denial of permission by Guntur police and Hyderabad High Court’s refusal to hear the House Motion, decided to put off the fast for some time. While refusing to entertain the House Motion on Friday, a Holiday, the court advised the party to file a regular petition.

“We will file the petition in court on Monday. Chandrababu Naidu himself has gone on fast at Delhi and also at MLA quarters and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa went on a hunger strike on the Cauvery water issue. We have full faith in judiciary and the fast will be taken up once we get a clearance from the court. Till such a date, the indefinite fast stands postponed,” YSRC deputy floor leader in the Assembly P Ramachandra Reddy said. The party will announce the fresh date for the deeksha and the course of action depending upon the orders from the court.

Putting the chief minister Naidu’s government on notice, Jagan announced on the floor of the House that he would sit on indefinite fast if Naidu failed to get the special status accorded to the state in 15 days. First it was decided to take up the Deeksha from second week. Later because of Vinakayaka Chavithi and Bakrid it was postponed to September 26. But, citing possible dislocation the Deeksha would cause to the traffic and Ganesh Nimajjan procesion, Guntur police denied permission.