The employees’ strike of TSRTC entered 27th day on Thursday, making the agitation the longest -- on par with 2011’s Sakala Janula Samme.
TSTRC Joint Joint Action Committee leaders E. Ashwathama Reddy, K. Raji Reddy, Thomas Reddy, V.S. Rao and O. Sudha maintained that the strike would continue, a clear indication that the strike is on its way to be the longest in the transport juggernaut’s history.
Earlier in the day, TSRTC JAC leaders met Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan and sought his support.
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Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mr. Kalyan said that he would seek an appointment with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and discuss the issue with him. TSRTC JAC leaders K. Raji Reddy and Thomas Reddy, who rushed to Karimnagar, released a statement declaring that the body of Nagunoori Babu, a TSRTC driver from the Karimnagar – 2 Bus Depot, who died following a heart attack on Wednesday, would not be moved from his home for last rites till the Chief Minister calls for talks. Meanwhile, Telangana Jana Samithi chief M Kodandaram, Telugu Desam Party leader L Ramana, Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, BJP leader B Mohan Reddy and others met Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundarajan and submitted a representation. The representation pegged the losses which the TSRTC has been incurring to the increase of diesel prices and “subsidised bus passes to students, employees, senior citizens and various marginalised groups.” It also stated that the government should make public transport “cheaper for ordinary people” and that without the State’s support, public transport ‘collapses’. It also stated that TSTRC workers have been improving efficiency of the transport juggernaut and that performance parameters show that despite 7,000 workers retiring from service, the trend continues.
“Unfortunately, the current government is turning a deaf ear to the demands. Not only about 48,000 families of workers are suffering due to this but also people who use public transport are facing the brunt. We request you to kindly explore all possibilities to resolve the just demands of RTC workers before it leads to constitutional crisis,” the letter reads.