Telangana stir: Andhra CM appeals to call off strike

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today made a desperate appeal to government employees from Telangana region to call off their indefinite strike, that entered the 12th day, saying it was for the Centre to take a decision on the contentious statehood issue.

"It is for the Centre to take a decision on the Telangana statehood issue. We have to wait till it takes a decision and the state government will implement whatever decision it takes," he said.

He was addressing some people from Medak district who were brought to his camp office by local Congress leaders today.

The chief minister asked the employees what they were achieving by striking work.

"Who is benefiting from the ongoing strike? It's the people of Telangana who are suffering as about 10,000 buses are off the roads, power generation has been affected and implementation of welfare and development programmes have been hit," Reddy said.

"As many as 80 lakh people, who commute daily in State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses, are left stranded because of the strike," the chief minister pointed out.

The RTC has been reeling under heavy monetary losses as buses are off the roads since September 19.

While the state government was requesting the Centre to allot additional gas to generate power and tide over the crisis, the Telangana protagonists were prevailing upon Union Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy not to supply natural gas, he alleged.