Seemandhra power employees continue strike

The talks between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and the government employees of power companies in Seemandhra failed to end their strike Wednesday.

Over six lakh employees of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra) refused to end their two-month-long strike till they got an assurance that the state will remain united.

After prolonged deliberations with the chief minister and some ministers, Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) Association president P. Ashok Babu said if the division becomes inevitable, they need an assurance providing safeguards to employees from Seemandhra working in Telangana.

"Unless the home ministry gives an assurance that our interests will be protected, we will not end the strike," he said.

He said the leaders of all employees' unions would meet Oct 11 or 12 to discuss the assurances given by the chief minister and to take a decision on whether to end the strike.

Kiran Reddy assured the leaders that as long as he was the chief minister, Andhra Pradesh will remain united.

He also quoted Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh as saying that Telangana bill would be referred to the state assembly twice.

"The chief minister assured us that the bill will be defeated in the assembly," said Ashok Babu.

The leaders insisted that all political parties have given them an assurance that they would defeat the bill in the assembly.

The chief minister appealed to employees to end the strike in view of the hardships caused to the people as the Dassara festival was approaching and there was a threat to coastal Andhra from a cyclone.