Anti-Telangana MP absconds

vIndianz.com (21 Dec, 2009) — Congress MP L Rajagopal, who is on a hunger strike to oppose the planned separation of Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, vanished from a government-run hospital in Vijayawada.

The MP from Vijayawada was in detention by the police and was shifted to the hospital early on Saturday from a camp where he was staging his hunger strike.

Police said as the hospital staff were making preparations to move him to a private hospital; he walked out with an acquaintance and vanished.

Police went on high alert in Vijayawada and launched a large scale search for Rajagopal, particularly on Hyderabad road as he may attempt to make theatrical appearance here to lodge his disapproval.

Eye-witnesses said Rajagopal, who was holding national flag in his hand came out of the hospital at about 10.10 pm with his friend and driver and sped away in a vehicle even prior to the policemen who were deployed there could comprehend anything.

The MP, who was fasting for previous six days, was dejected with the Central government for not retracting from its announcement on formation of Telangana state. The state government had too discarded his demand to change him to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad.

Anticipating law and order troubles here, the state government had decided not to move him to Hyderabad however promised treatment in a corporate hospital in Vijayawada.

The police have booked Rajagopal for attempt to suicide.

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