CM to hold talks with TEJAC on October 24

HYDERABAD: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is likely to hold discussions with the Telangana Employees’ JAC leaders on Monday (October 24) after his return from Delhi.There is also a possibility of inviting an employees’ delegation to Delhi to meet Congress Central leaders on their demand for Telangana formation.On the other hand, the TEJAC leaders expect either a statement by the Centre or chief minister explaining the view of the Congress-led UPA Government on their demand for T by calling a meeting with them soon. Another round (third) of talks between the TEJAC leaders and the cabinet subcommittee on employees’ issues is unlikely to resolve the strike as it is now being handled by Kiran Kumar Reddy himself. Though employees of the RTC, Singareni and educational department had postponed their strike, Telangana staff working in key departments like revenue, excise, commercial taxes, social welfare, agriculture, energy, Panchayat Raj and rural development are still continuing their stir as part of Sakala Janula Samme which entered the 39th day on Friday.The TEJAC leaders are cautious in their approach this time as their previous non-cooperation movement ended abruptly. They have decided not to take any final decision on any of the issues, particularly postponing or calling off the strike, during their talks with the government. The TEJAC leaders will decide their course of action only after taking into consideration the views of other constituents of the JAC and employees’ leaders of 10 Telangana districts.Meanwhile, the chief minister is busy chalking out a strategy for the honourable exit of the striking government employees from Sakala Janula Samme.The government is, however, sympathetic towards the other demands put forth by the Telangana staff before the cabinet sub-committee, which includes withdrawal of ESMA and GO 177, lifting of all police cases registered against the striking employees and conduct of an inquiry into the attack on TEJAC chairman K Swami Goud in RTA office.The JAC leaders have put forth the demands before the cabinet sub-committee for holding discussions. On the 39th day of Sakala Janula Samme, the Secretariat staff held a demonstration near J Block demanding a separate state.Telangana Secretariat Employees’ JAC chairman Narender Rao asserted that they would not call off the strike till the Centre announces a time-bound roadmap for Telangana formation. He took exception to the TDP’s remarks that some TRS leaders had mortgaged the T cause and got Polavaram project tenders by using Sakala Janula Samme as a means. He appealed to all political parties to intensify the movement to achieve separate Telangana.In fact, the movement is not in the hands of TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao or TJAC chairman M Kodandaram now.Public representatives from Telangana region should stop making cheap remarks on the ongoing strike. They should quit their posts en masse to mount pressure on the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre to deliver T, he said.