TSRTC JAC briefs Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President Nadda about crisis

Accusing the state government of letting them down and taking the unilateral decision of privatising public transportation, the Telangana Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Wednesday briefed the ongoing crisis to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda. The JAC also sought the help of the BJP to make the 'Million March' protest to be held on Tank Bund in Hyderabad, scheduled on October 9, a success. The JAC leaders also demanded that the state government should hold talks with them and resolve the crisis, reported Telangana Today.  Buoyed by the unity of the TSRTC workers who defied the ultimatum given by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and are continuing the strike, JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy said that their unity cannot be broken. He alleged that the Chief Minister used all kinds of divisive tactics to weaken the workers' unity but failed.  The CM had set a deadline asking the workers to resume duty by November 5, threatening that if they fail to join duty, the entire TSRTC would be privatised. However, just around 500 workers out of the 48,000 odd workers had joined back. The TSRTC workers are on strike since October 5, demanding the merger of the TSRTC with the government, along with several other demands. After meeting the state BJP leaders, Aswathama Reddy said that Amit Shah and JP Nadda responded positively on their issue. Ashwatham Reddy reiterated that the CM should give up his false pride and hold talks with them. In the meeting, Telangana Jana Samithi President Kodandram Reddy and Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi leader Manda Krishna Madiga also participated.   Meanwhile, BJP state president K Laxman said that the Chief Minister should offer to resign because of his failure. He said that all attempts by KCR to stop the protest failed, and that it was a moral victory for the TSRTC workers, according to The New Indian Express.