It looks like nobody would be able to beat the record of YSR Congress party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in taking out marathon padayatra for over 3,600 km in a span of 14 months between November 2017 to January 2019.
It requires tremendous will power and physical stamina for any leader to take out such a long padayatra. But it seems to be lacking in any other leader, at least for now.
Take the case of Eatala Rajender, former Telangana health minister who recently quit the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and his assembly membership from Huzurabad to join the BJP.
He launched his padayatra in the name of “Praja Deevena Yatra” (Tour to seek blessings of the people) on July 19 to tour entire Huzurabad assembly constituency to appease the voters for his victory in the forthcoming by-elections.
But on his 12th day of padayatra on Friday, Rajender fell sick after reaching Kondapaka village of Veenavanka mandal.
He was not in a position to take even a few steps further and was immediately taken to a guest house, where he underwent examination by a team of doctors.
The doctors found that Rajender’s blood pressure came down to 90/60 and sugar levels shot up to 265. Since the oxygen levels were also down, the doctors advised him to stop padayatra and suggested that he be shifted to Hyderabad.
Rajender was immediately taken to Hyderabad and admitted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences.
According to the BJP leaders, the former minister has so far covered 222 kilometres in 70 villages in the last 12 days.
“Since he was walking continuously without break braving rain and heat, he fell sick,” the leaders said.
Source said Rajender might not be able to resume his padayatra because of his health conditions. In his place, his wife Jamuna might continue the padayatra in the remaining part of his Praja Deevena Yatra, they added.