HYDERABAD: Disputing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s claim that the TSRTC employees’ strike was illegal, TSRTC JAC convenor E Aswathama Reddy on Wednesday dared him to hold a referendum and know what the people of the state thought about it.
“In the referendum, if the people say the strike is illegal, I am ready to call it off. If they say it is legal, the chief minister should invite us for talks,” Aswathama Reddy told TNIE over the phone.
“He (the chief minister) has been terming our strike illegal and dismissed the employees. Further, he is not initiating talks despite orders from the high court. How can this issue be resolved? It is because of this attitude of KCR that I seek a referendum on whether the strike is illegal or not,” he said.
The JAC convenor also described as hogwash the chief minister’s claim that the TSRTC JAC unions “withdrew” their primary demand for a merger with the government. “All demands were valid and should be discussed with the unions,” he asserted. The chief minister on Tuesday formed a committee with TSRTC executive directors to examine the employees’ demands that would not entail any financial burden on the corporation, after claiming the staff gave up their demand for a merger.