V. Pandu Ranga Rao launching the padayatra at Kodad on Monday.

NALGONDA: Venepalli Pandu Ranga Rao, former sarpanch of Alagadapa, on Monday embarked on a 250-km padayatra from Kodad to Hyderabad demanding that the State Government carve out a separate State for Telangana without further delay.

Mr. Rao, who hogged the limelight by calling for a referendum on his performance as the sarpanch about three years ago, chose Palair bridge on the Krishna-Nalgonda border as the starting point.

"This bridge is something special for me since it is the gateway of Telangana. We want our Telangana back," Mr. Rao told The Hindu after addressing four roadside meetings and a seminar. He covered 13 kilometres on the first day of padayatra.

Good support

Apart from his fans and friends, a good number of TRS activists led by K. Yadagiri Reddy and K. Nagesh, lecturers, lawyers and artists took part in the march. Founder of Jala Sadhana Samithi DuscharlaSatyanarayana also extended his support to the padayatra.

It would reach Hyderabad on January 10 traversing Suryapet on January 3 and Nalgonda on January 5. Recalling the referendum conducted in four villages on the issue of the separate State, Mr. Rao said: "More than 96 per cent of voters voted in favour of the separate State. The Government should honour the people's sentiments."

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