he Youth Congress activists on Thursday held a dharna at KBR Park on Banjara Hills against the Indian Premier League’s decision not to conduct matches in Hyderabad.
The activists demanded the retention of the IPL matches here. They cried slogans against International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar who was instrumental in shifting all matches from Andhra Pradesh. Not satisfied, the activists also burnt Pawar in effigy.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Rosaiah urged Pawar to intervene and retain the IPL schedule in the city.
The activists sought to know why the matches were shifted although the Telangana Joint Action Committee assured IPL that it would not obstruct the matches. Although the Deccan Chargers, the defending champions, were scheduled to play at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, the IPL organisers decided to shift the venue to Mumbai following unrest in the state.
Following the decision of the League, State Sports Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Wednesday asked the Deccan Chargers to boycott the IPL tournament if the governing council stuck to its decision.