Former Union Minister Kotla Jayasuryaprakash Reddy has refuted reports being circulating in the social media that he will soon be quitting the Congress party.
Stating that the Kotla family stood by moral values, he told the media here that he would not defect to another party.
He also refuted reports that his wife and former MLA Kotla Sujathamma was going to join the TDP.
Mr. Jayasuryaprakash Reddy alleged that some persons were indulging in false propaganda against him and his family.
‘Maha dharna’
Accusing Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of betraying the Rayalaseema region, he prophesied that the TDP would not regain power in the 2019 elections. He said denial of Special Category Status was nothing but a raw deal meted out to the State.
Mr. Reddy said he would skip his birthday celebrations on Monday and instead lead a ‘maha dharna’ by the onion farmers at the market yard to bring to focus the plight on account of the dwindling MSP for the produce.
Accompanied by DCC president P. Lakshmi Reddy and other leaders, he visited Vamasamudram village in Kallur mandal and Peddanelatur village in Gonegandla village, and consoled the families of onion farmers Ramudu and Ediga Dastagiri Goud, who had ended their lives. Ramudu, who is survived by wife and two children, committed suicide as his crop fetched a mere ₹100 a quintal.
Dastagiri Goud, 45, took the produce to Hyderabad and ended his life there four days ago.
Mr. Reddy demanded that the government disburse ex gratia of ₹10 lakh to the family of each onion grower who had committed suicide. He gave away cash assistance of ₹10,000 each to the family of the deceased farmers.