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Opposition fast enters 8th day, stalemate continues

The fast by determined Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislators, demanding rollback of the power tariff hike, entered the eighth day on Friday even as the state government was grappling with the havoc wrought by heavy rains.

Overcoming the initial dilemma whether to continue the fast in view of the grim flood situation, the opposition decided to go ahead with the agitation. However, it made a concession for ten Congress legislators allowing them to rush to their rain-ravaged constituencies to help in relief operations.

Having virtually spurned the mediation efforts by the ruling Telugu Desam Party's ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the fasting legislators have narrowed down the options for a negotiated settlement to the tangle.

The prospect of an early end to the stalemate further receded with the government being fully pre-occupied with relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu commented on the 'inappropriateness of a political agitation in the midst of human tragedy'.

Unfazed by the developments, the opposition parties have vowed to continue the hunger strike till the government conceded their demand or keeping the hike in abeyance until the House committee constituted to go into the power reforms issue submitted its report.

Seventy-eight Congress, two CPI-M and the lone CPI (ML-New Democracy) legislators had launched an indefinite fast on August 18 demanding rollback of the hike in power tariff.

With 15 Congress legislators hospitalised so far - after they fell sick - and ten others rushing to flood-affected areas, 56 legislators remain in the hunger strike camp at the legislators' quarters.

EARLIER REPORTS
Two more AP Cong MLAs hospitalised
BJP begins mediation in TDP-Cong stand-off

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