Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS): Two days after winning the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh with a record margin, YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Sunday began 48-hour hunger strike demanding the government solve the farmers' problems.

A large number of farmers and supporters are participating in the hunger strike titled 'rytu diksha' of the young leader at Guntur.

The MP is demanding the government take all necessary steps to procure paddy from farmers and pay them the minimum support price (MSP).

The two-day hunger strike is another attempt by Jagan to demonstrate his strength. However, only Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy and six legislators of the ruling Congress were present on the first day.

At earlier hunger strikes undertaken by him on various issues, two dozen legislators had turned out in his support. Some legislators have since returned to the Congress fold after the leadership threatened them with disqualification.

Even the four legislators of opposition Telugu Desam party and Praja Rajyam Party loyal to him were not present.

It is in this context that Jagan stated Saturday that he was not counting on the support of the existing legislators to bring down the Congress government. "Fresh faces are always better," he remarked.

Addressing the gathering at at Guntur, Jagan loyalists heaped praise on him for winning Kadapa seat with a majority of over five lakh votes.

Some of the loyalists described Jagan as the future chief minister.

The meeting paid tributes to farmers' leader Mahindra Singh Tikait, who passed away Sunday and observed a minute's silence.