Singareni Union Elections: AITUC challenges TRS chief

Hyderabad, Aug 8 (UNI) Expressing confidence that the CPI-led All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) will win the trade union elections in the Singareni Collieries Limited, CPI Legislature Party leader Ch Venkata Reddy today asked TRS President K Chandrasekara Rao to take political sanyas if the Union affiliated to the TRS lost the polls.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the polls, he promised to fight for, among other things, the constitution of a new wage board and declaration of Rs 10,000 bonus by the management.

''It was during Mr Rao's tenure as Union Labour Minister that the Provident Fund interest rate was reduced to eight per cent, which was detrimental to the interests of workers,'' he recalled.

CPI State Secretary K Narayana objected to the TRS leader provoking regional sentiments to win the polls. All the contestants belonged to the Telangana region, he pointed out, asking the TRS chief to refrain from bringing politics into the Union elections.

UNI