HYDERABAD: In what appeared to be the adoption of a divide-and-rule policy to isolate the striking TSRTC employees’ unions, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday engaged the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC), the largest government workforce, comprising over 3 lakh employees, in light-hearted banter at his official residence Pragati Bhavan, promising to resolve all their issues once the bypoll to Huzurnagar, slated for October 21, is over.
He congratulated the government employees for successfully implementing the 30-day action plan in villages and assured them that all their problems would be addressed in phases.
The unexpected camaraderie took everyone by surprise, setting off rumours that it was only to wean away government employees from expressing solidarity with the TSRTC staff, who have been on strike since
October 5, seeking a merger of their corporation with the government.
The speculation appeared convincing since Opposition parties were planning to convert the agitation into another edition of Sakala Janula Samme, which had forced the Centre into ceding Telangana. Political parties are likely to call a state bandh, and since KCR is intent on throwing a spanner in the works, he apparently sought to endear himself with the government employees.
JAC secretary general V Mamatha said the RTC employees were separate from TNGOs and TGOs, indicating that TNGOs and TGOs were not all that eager to back the strike.