Seemandhra employees continue strike over Telangana bifurcation

Hyderabad, Oct 15: Over 400,000 government employees in Seemandhra continued their strike for 64th day Tuesday to oppose the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh while their leaders decided to hold another round of talks with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Thursday.

Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers' (APNGOs) Association president P. Ashok Babu told reporters here that their future course of action would depend on what assurance the chief minister would give on keeping the state united.

APNGOs executive and also various joint action committees of the striking employees would hold their meetings Wednesday to decide on the issues to be raised during the meeting with the chief minister.

APNGOs leaders had last week held a meeting with the chief minister but it failed to find a solution.

Over 200,000 teachers and employees of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) had however called off their strike, restoring some normalcy in Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra) after two months.

While buses of APSRTC returned on the roads in all 13 districts, the schools and colleges will reopen after Dussehra and Eid holidays on Oct 17.

Ashok Babau said the employees were of the view that they should fight till the end to oppose division of the state.

He announced that they would meet all legislators including those from Telangana to impress upon them the need to keep the state united for its overall development.

"We will also urge them to oppose Telangana bill when it comes before the state assembly," he said.

The APNGOs leader demanded that the central government clarify whether the resolution or bill for state's division would be referred to assembly once or twice. He alleged that the central leaders were giving contradictory statements on the issue.

APNGOs will submit a report to chief secretary in two to three days on the problems the employees and pensioners would face in the event of the state's division.

The state will convey the same to group of ministers constituted by the union cabinet to look into various issues arising out of bifurcation.

IANS