CM not in mood for talks

Hyderabad: Even as the state bandh called by TSRTC JAC is couple of days away, the government does not appear to be in a mood to re-open negotiations with the employee's unions.

Though Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao held a detailed review meeting on the issue in the wake of the court directions to resolve the issue amicably, the government is learnt to be of the opinion that it should put its argument effectively before the court explaining as to why it had to take tough measures.

The issue was discussed in detail with legal experts as well. The court had directed the government to submit a status report on the strike by Friday.

The legal experts briefed the contents of the court directions, including the payment of salaries to nearly 49,000 RTC workers who have gone on strike from October 5.

Officials said KCR is not ready to accept the major demand of the merger of RTC with the government in view of mounting debt burden on the Corporation.

"The CM is determined to safeguard the corporation by extending financial assistance and not for the merger of it and this issue was discussed with whole statistical data furnished by the RTC authorities in the meeting," a source said.

The source said that the Chief Minister asked the Advocate-General and other state legal experts to argue strongly in the court the government's efforts in strengthening the corporation and the RTC workers unwillingness to come for talks.

KCR instructed all officials concerned to make necessary arrangements to resume the bus services in all routes by hiring required temporary drivers and conductors and ensure regular revenues earned by the RTC is not affected by the strike from next week.