Cong MP taken into custody ahead of fast

Congress MP L Rajagopal was today taken into preventive custody at the airport here ahead of his proposed fast-unto-death against the division of Andhra Pradesh.

Rajagopal was detained on his arrival from New Delhi and later taken to Pahadi Sharif police station, police said.

Supporters of Rajagopal raised slogans in support of their leader and some of them were taken into custody.

The Vijayawada MP, who has resigned his Lok Sabha seat, had demanded that the police should allow him to meet Chief Minister K Rosaiah.

Police said they have taken the MP into preventive custody as no permission was given to him to observe a hunger strike.

Rajagopal had yesterday said that he would join the movement for a unified Andhra Pradesh and against creation of Telangana.

Rajagopal, however, resorted to hunger strike in the police station in protest against his arrest.

Earlier, a tense situation prevailed at the airport when Rajagopal arrived from Delhi with pro and anti-Telangana supporters raising slogans against each other.