HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam leaders from Telangana will undertake a padayatra for 24 days from near the confluence of Pranahita with the Godavari in Adilabad district on January 28 to mount pressure on the State Government to take up the Yellampally - Pranahita - Chevella link project.

The 450-km long padayatra by a large group of leaders and party activists will culminate in a public meeting, most likely on February 20, at Nizam College grounds here.

Naidu to address

It will be addressed by the TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The decision to take up the padayatra followed a meeting of the Telangana leaders of TDP at the party office on Thursday.

Briefing reporters later, Kadiam Srihari and other party leaders said the mission was not aimed against any project or region. It was more of a campaign to educate farmers.

The TDP wanted implementation of the irrigation projects with priority for backward areas.

Plea to Lok Ayukta

At a separate news conference, TDP's official spokesman M.V. Mysoora Reddy appealed to the Lok Ayukta to take up suo motu the collection of funds by the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) towards advertisements for a souvenir to be brought out for the Congress plenary.

He released a copy of letter addressed by APCC president K. Keshava Rao to contractors and industrialists calling for donations in excess of Rs. 5 lakhs for the purpose.

Dr. Reddy cited a judgement of Supreme Court which described collection of such donations as a crime.

TDP deputy leader in Assembly N. Janardhan Reddy asked the State Government to modify its order releasing 10 tmcft water to Anantapur from Pothireddypadu head-regulator.

He wanted water to be provided to Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar and Prakasam districts also.

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