RTC Union splits on regional lines

HYDERABAD: Telangana employees of State Road Transport Corporation, who are members of the APSRTC National Mazdoor Union, formed NMU Telangana Forum (NMU-TF) and nominated its working body members on Monday to support the separate Telangana movement.NMU-TF working president M Nageswara Rao told a press conference here on Tuesday that the NMU-TF was  formed to intensify the movement for Telangana. The two groups within the NMU _ NMU-1 and NMU-2 _ which had been working for the cause of Telangana were merged into one group and named NMU-TF, he said.Forum chairman M Thomas Reddy announced that 59,000 Telangana employees of APSRTC would participate in Sakala Janula Samme which will begin on August 17 as announced by political JAC convener M Kodandaram. Irrespective of political leanings, religion, and caste all Telangana employees of APSRTC would work for the Telangana cause under the guidance of Kodandaram, he declared. The NMU-TF will organise a one-day mass hunger strike near all RTC regional offices in Telangana on August 11.Rao also announced the names of the nominated office-bearers of the newly-formed NMU-TF. MACo-chairman Khadeer, convener EM Reddy, co-convener K Hanumanth and  organising secretary L Maraiah were present at the conference.