Drop move to privatise RTC: CPI to CM KCR

Hyderabad: The Communist party of India (CPI) on Thursday demanded Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to withdraw the proposal to privatise TSRTC. It warned of launching a State-wide agitation if the CM went ahead with his privatization decision.

State CPI secretary Chada Venkat Reddy condemned the statement of the newly appointed RTC chairman Bajireddy Govardhan that the government would privatise the corporation if its workers did not bring it back into profit within four months.

He said that it was shocking that the CM, who promised to merge the corporation with the government, was now planning to privatise it. He said it was very clear that KCR was following the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on privatisation.

Reddy made it clear that the AP government was running the APSRTC in to profits after its merger, adding that it was 'cruel' that the State was planning to privatise the RTC instead of merging it to bring it back in profits. "There are many ways to bring the corporation on the path of profit. Reduction of taxes on diesel will provide some relief to the corporation," he stated.