Opposition parties in Telangana on Wednesday met Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan over the ongoing strike by employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) and asked her to intervene, to end the logjam.
The leaders who met with the Governor said that they would also take up the issue with President Ram Nath Kovind.
The delegation of opposition leaders included Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president M Kodandaram, Telangana Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president L Ramana, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, senior Congress leader J Geetha Reddy, BJP leader Mohan Reddy, and others.
Speaking to reporters, Kondandaram flayed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for failing to hold talks with the striking workers and adamantly refusing to resolve the strike.
The opposition parties also highlighted the 'political behaviour' of RTC in-charge MD Sunil Sharma, and questioned his decision to submit an affidavit accusing the opposition of a conspiracy to instigate the striking workers and topple the ruling TRS government.
Around 48,000-odd TSRTC workers have been on strike since October 5 over 26 demands. Their demands include better wages and regulated work conditions, besides the merger of the TSRTC with the government, which essentially would make them government employees with the same benefits.
On Wednesday, with the High Court failing to break the deadlock, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of employee unions said that it is ready to call off the strike, if the government allows them to return to service without any precondition.
“We will resume work if the government is willing to take us back unconditionally. They should not put forth any conditions. We will not sign any documents, but we will resume duties if they agree,” JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy told reporters.