Kamakshamma, wife of late RPS activist Y. Pullaiah, who, died of a heart attack during last padayatra near Dharmavaram flagged off the campaign.
Earlier, Byreddy planted a sword symbolically in the ground seeking victory for his expedition. Hundreds of RPS activists shouted slogans in support of Rayalaseema state.
Making a fiery speech, Rajasekhar Reddy said nothing less than separate statehood would solve the problems of Rayalaseema.
Referring to Panchalingala, a village on the outskirts of Kurnool city, he said had our forefathers retained the capital at Kurnool before the formation of Andhra Pradesh, the village could have been the Punjagutta of Kurnool.
He said Rayalaseema was caught in the vortex of feudalism worse than that of pre-Independence era and only 42 families were ruling the region while lakhs of other households were leading a miserable life to earn two square meals a day.
He said the ‘tractor yatra’ was devoid of any extravaganza like biryani and liquor bottles. Only vegetarian food would be cooked for the volunteers and the journey for awakening would end at his residence in Muchumarri near Nandikotkur after four months, covering all four Rayalaseema districts.
