Khammam: Opposition parties demand government to hold talks with RTC unions

Khammam: The RTC strike entered the 34th day on Thursday, and the leaders of Left parties, Congress and others extended their support to the agitating employees. A large number of corporation workers took part in protests held at all bus depots in the erstwhile Khammam district.

In Khammam, a huge rally was taken out by the CPM, CPI, New Democracy, Congress and TDP leaders and their supporters. The student unions also supported the rally and participated in it. After the rally, the opposition party leaders along with employees staged a protest at the bus stand.

Speaking on the occasion, the opposition leaders demanded the government to immediately hold talks with the RTC unions as per the High Court orders. "The strike has entered day 34, but still the government is not responding to the workers issue, which is against the democratic rules of the country," they said, urging everyone to participate in the Chalo Tank Bund protest programme on November 9, in Hyderabad.

Stating that all the opposition parties would extend support to the strike till the employees' demands were met, they appealed to the RTC workers to no to lose hope.

District secretary of CPM Nunna Nageswara Rao, CPI district secretary Bagam Hemanth Rao, New Democracy leaders Gummadi Narasaiah and Potla Nageswara Rao, Congress party leaders Munaf and Deepak Chowdary, Ponnam Venkateswara Rao, B Ramesh, Y Vikram, Lingaiah, T Srinivas Rao, K Narasimha Rao, K Venkateswara Rao, B Padma and others took part in the rally.

Meanwhile, the RTC workers conducted an innovative protest in Kothagudem. The workers sleeping on the roads expressed their angst against the State government's attitude. Former MP Midiam Babu Rao, CPM, CPI and CITU leaders expressed their solidarity with the employees.