FOR A CAUSE: Fasting TDP leader Mudragada Padmanbham at his residence at Kirlampudi on Tuesday.

KIRLAMPUDI: Tension eased off in this village on Tuesday when TDP leader and former Minister Mudragada Padmanabham announced that he was extending his decision to commit suicide till 10.00 a.m. on Thursday.

The TDP leader who began fast-unto-death six days ago had given an ultimatum to the State Government to fulfil the demands of farmers or he would kill himself with two revolvers, kept beside his bed, on Tuesday afternoon.

He was demanding higher compensation to the farmers of 14 villages in Prattipadu constituency, who are going to lose their lands in Puskhara Lift Irrigation scheme and under Polavaram major irrigation project.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Padmanabham spoke to mediapersons, who came from Rajahmundry and Kakinada, from a room bolted from inside and announced that he was extending the deadline for another 48 hours and the same was conveyed to his party leaders and supporters.

He was so weak even to speak and his health further deteriorated as a result of indefinite fasting for the last six days. He was reluctant to move out of his room even though doctors had advised him to shift to hospital.

Ministers meet Mudragada

Earlier, the task force arranged by the Government with Ministers--Jakkampudi Ramamohana Rao and Gollapalli Suryarao-- district Collector Anil Kumar Singhal and TDP district unit president Jyothula Nehru met in the morning at Kakinada just before the ZP meeting, and took stock of the situation.

They informed the Chief Minister's office of the developments and then got a direction from Hyderabad to settle the issue amicably.

Finally, Mr. Nehru and former Ministers Chikkala Ramachandrarao, Metla Satyanarayana and Vaddi Veerabhadra Rao-- met Mr. Padmanabham and told him that the Government had conceded three demands out of four, and suggested to him to call off the indefinite fasting.

However, he announced that as his prime demand for higher compensation of Rs. 7 lakhs per acre was not met, he was extending the deadline.

Hyderabad special correspondent adds:

The Government has decided to depute a high-level official team to Kirlampudi to negotiate with fasting Telugu Desam leader Mudragada Padmanabham or his representatives, on the quantum of compensation payable for lands acquired for Polavaram canals.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy conveyed this to a Telugu Desam delegation when it met him here on Tuesday to highlight the deteriorating health condition of Mr. Padmanabham whose fast entered the seventh day on Tuesday. The TDP leaders sought his intervention to resolve the issue by announcing payment of Rs. 7 lakhs an acre.

The delegation was led by K. Srihari, party general secretary, and comprised Y. Ramakrishnudu, U. Venkateswarlu and E. Peddi Reddy.

They appeared greatly relieved when the Chief Minister informed them that Mr Padmanabham had extended the deadline for resolving the problem by 48 hours from 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Threat from Polavaram

Speaking to reporters, the TD leaders said farmers in East and West Godavari districts stood to lose vast stretches of lands under the Polavaram project because of the duplicaton of canals. Pending construction of the Polavaram dam and its Right and Left canals, the Tadipudi and Pushakaram lift schemes were taken up on either side of the Godavari.

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