Indian politician jailed for life

Reddy says he plans to appeal

A former minister in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of two rival party workers.

P Ramasubba Reddy, a senior leader of the opposition Telugu Desam Party, was convicted with seven others of murder and conspiracy to murder.

The two Congress party workers from Kadapah, Reddy's home district, were killed 14 years ago.

The former minister told reporters he would appeal to the state's High Court.

Voted out

Hundreds of supporters of the TDP leader were present in the court in the state capital, Hyderabad, for the verdict on Wednesday.

They denounced the Congress party government.

Additional police were called in to strengthen security before Reddy and the others were taken to Chancalguda jail.

Telugu Desam was voted out of power in May largely, analysts say, for its failure to improve conditions for the state's rural poor.

Thousands of farmers have committed suicide over the past six years, forced into crippling debts by droughts and loans.