Striking Telangana employees soften their stand?

HYDERABAD: Notwithstanding the public announcement of TEJAC leaders that they would not call off Sakala Janula Samme until a roadmap for creation of Telangana state was announced, there are signals that the strikers have softened their stand.While the employees are willing to hold discussions with the government to resolve the deadlock, the Telangana ministers on Saturday appealed to the staff to call off their strike keeping in view the sufferings of people. For the first time, ministers from Telangana, led by K Jana Reddy, appealed to the striking employees that the Centre had recognised the sentiments of Telangana people and employees. After their meeting with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Jana Reddy said the employees’ strike for more than 30 days had caused severe revenue loss to the government apart from hitting development of the state. “The Centre has recognised the Telangana people’s aspirations. However, the state’s development is affected due to the strike. The Congress high command is seized of the issue and we are confident of formation of Telangana state. We will strive to realise people’s aspirations,” Jana Reddy said. On the other hand, transport minister Botcha Satyanarayana held talks with the Telangana RTC employees and tried to end the deadlock. He agreed to most of the demands put forward by the RTC employees, including regularisation of contract workers and filling up of vacant posts.  However, the RTC staff gave no firm assurance and stated that they would take a final call after discussing the matter with the TJAC.Meanwhile, the second round of talks between the state government and the Telangana Employees JAC (TEJAC) held in the Secretariat on Saturday failed. The TEJAC leaders reiterated that they would continue the strike till a roadmap for formation of separate Telangana state is announced by the Central government.The cabinet sub-committee on employees’ issues which held the talks with the TEJAC leaders, also urged them to call off the strike keeping in view the hardships of people in Telangana region. It promised to look into the demands put forth by the TEJAC during their first meeting on October 12.However, the TEJAC leaders made it clear that they did not have any objection even if the government failed to consider their other demands but wanted a firm assurance on separate Telangana. “Our main demand is announcement of a roadmap for formation of a separate Telangana state,” the TEJAC leaders said.Deputy chief minister C Damodara Rajanarasimha who is heading the cabinet sub-committee, ruled out adoption of a resolution by the state cabinet as demanded by the  TEJAC leaders urging the Centre to create a separate T. Interestingly, after having a meeting with Kiran Kumar Reddy this evening, some Telangana ministers, including Telangana Congress Steering Committee chairman K Jana Reddy and convener B Saraiah, made an appeal to striking employees, teachers, and workers to call off their stir.  Talking to newsmen later, TEJAC leaders K Swamy Goud, V Srinivas Goud and G Devi Prasada Rao made it clear that the ongoing Sakala Janula Samme would come to an end when only the Centre introduces the Telangana Bill in Parliament. They denied reports published in a section of the press that employees were going to withdraw the strike. “We are all united and will not withdraw the strike till the goal of separate T state is achieved,” they asserted.