APNGOs to hold talks with CM tomorrow

HYDERABAD: The striking Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) Association will decide on their future course of action after talks with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on October 17.

'We will take a decision on continuing the strike based on our talks with the chief minister. We will, however, continue our fight for a united Andhra Pradesh till the end,' association president P Ashok Babu told reporters after a meeting with principal secretary (political) Shivashankar at the Secretariat here.

He, however, warned that if the Telangana bill is introduced in the Parliament, the strike will resume and it will be more severe.

Ashok Babu said the focus of the talks with the chief minister will be on state bifurcation issue and not on service related issues. ''As regards to employees' service matters, the chief secretary had sought a report from us and we will submit it soon,'' he said adding that employees issue was one of the several issued raised by the Centre regarding state bifurcation.

He said the executive body of the APNGOs will meet on Wednesday and the following day, prior to meeting the chief minister, a meeting of Samaikya Rashtra Parirakshana Vedika (SRPV) will be held.

''Our stand remains unchanged. We want the state to be united. Implementation of Article 371 (D) can only be possible in an undivided state. We will question the chief minister as to what he intends to do with it and we will also like to know as to how he intends to prevail upon the Centre and keep the state united,'' Ashok Babu said.

Wondering about Kiran Reddy's statement that as long as he was the chief minister he will not let the bifurcation happen, Ashok Babu said, ''What will happen, if his party bosses decide to remove him.''

He said the government employees were more concerned for the people, hence they have attended to relief operations during Phailin cyclone. Revenue, panchayat raj, health and medical and other departments have discharged their duties though they were on strike.

APSRTC, teachers and electricity employees have called of their strike considering the difficulties being faced by the public. ''However it is only temporary. If Telangana bill is introduced in the Parliament, they will resume the strike and it will be more intense than before,'' he said.

Ashok Babu said that they have met all the MLAs in Seemandhra region barring five to six MLAs, who were not present in their respective constituencies.

'All of them have agreed to oppose the draft bill, when it is referred to the state Assembly. They were also ready to give a public declaration to that effect. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who represents Kuppam, needs to make his stand clear on the issue. Now, we are also writing to MLAs in Hyderabad and Telangana districts to seek their support to defeat the draft bill,' he said.

Claiming that confusion prevails in the GoM constituted to look into the bifurcation issue, Ashok Babu said one minister says one thing and other totally a different thing. Even the GoM, which initially was said to submit its report in six weeks time, now says there is no time limit, he said.

The APNGOs have decided to meet leaders of national parties soon to seek their support.