Govt's talks with pro-united AP employees remain inconclusive

The talks between the ministers and the pro-united Andhra Pradesh employees of the state government, seeking to end the latter's strike against the proposed division of the state, remained inconclusive today.
"The talks were held in a cordial environment. They (employees) said they are committed to the single point that the division should not take place.
"They mentioned the negative impact of division and their problems. We asked them to give us a report, so that we can study and also bring it to the notice of the Centre. The talks are not a one-day affair. They will continue till a logical conclusion is reached," Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy, a member of the cabinet sub-committee on employee-related issues, told reporters.

Observing that the agitation succeeded in making the Centre and the state government take notice of the issues raised by the employees, the sub-committee has appealed them to end the strike which started on August 13.
"We discussed the negative impact of division on employees. The Finance Minister said they will invite us for talks after discussing the issue with the Chief Minister. But we said we can not call off the strike. We said we will continue till we get a clear assurance that the state would remain united," P Ashok Babu, leader of pro-united Andhra employees unions, said.

Claiming that the cabinet sub-committee appreciated that the strike had remained peaceful, he said the programme of agitations, as announced earlier, would continue.
The employees and other united-Andhra supporters had called for shut-down of private schools from September 23 to 30, road blockade on September 24 and protests on September 27 and 28 near Central Government offices, he said.