Bifurcation blues for staff continue

Hyderabad: The row over allotment of employees between Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh is snowballing into an all-out war, warranting intervention by the two new Chief Minister designates and the Centre.

The issue has triggered a war of words between the leaders of employees and the political parties. Telangana employees' leaders Prof M Kodandaram and Devi Prasad have taken up cudgels on behalf of employees of the region where as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister designate N Chandrababu Naidu and AP Congress president N Raghuveera Reddy came in support of the Seemandhra employees.

Guidelines being adopted by the government for allocation have become the bone of contention between the employees of both States. Allegations and counter allegations are being hurled by the leaders of the soon-to-be-born States leading to controversy a week before the Appointed Day.

Telangana employees are demanding the government to take up the allocation on the basis of nativity and Seemandhra employees are for implementation of the directions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and section of Article 371-D of the Constitution.

Telangana JAC chairman Kodandaram said that the guidelines being issued by the Centre were absurd and alleged that they were not prepared on the lines of Article 371-D, Presidential Order and APRA.

He made it clear that Telangana employees must be kept in the region and the Seemandhra employees in Andhra Pradesh and demanded that even in the temporary postings, a similar pattern should be followed.

Telangana Non-Gazetted Employees Union president Devi Prasad said that the employees must be alert till the allocation has been done on the basis of nativity. He wanted the government to release the list of heads of the department.

TRS legislators Swami Goud and Srinivasa Goud inaugurated the 'War Room' in Telangana Bhavan and said that the Telangana employees working in Seemandhra should be sent back.

Srinivas Goud said that the War Room was meant to gather information about the details of the employees.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam party president N Chandrababu Naidu said that the remarks of Telangana leaders would tantamount to raking up regional passions and said that he was ready to go to the War Room to clarify the matters.

On the other hand, the Assembly secretary Raja S Sadaram has appointed a committee to look into the controversy over the allocation of employees between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Assemblies.

Appointment of the committee has become necessary as Telangana employees are alleging foul play in the distribution. The committee would look into the nativity issue.

Andhra Pradesh Congress committed president N Raghuveera Reddy expressed anguish over the comments of Telangana Chief Minister designate K Chandrasekhara Rao.

He said that his comments were unbecoming of a person who would become the first Chief Minister of Telangana. He assured that his party would stand behind the employees of Seemandhra.