HYDERABAD: Members of the Telangana Congress Steering Committee met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy here tonight and requested him to send a "factual report" to the Centre on the current situation in the region, in the wake of the ongoing Sakala Janula Samme (strike by cross-section of people).They also wanted the government to invite leaders of the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee for talks to end the indefinite strike by employees since September 13.The government should stop enforcing Essential Services Maintenance Act and no-work, no-pay rule against the striking government employees, the Committee members felt.They have also protested the removal of contractor workers from service for taking part in the strike."The Chief Minister has agreed to invite the employees' leaders for talks in a day or two," MPs Ponnam Prabhakar and G Vivekananda told reporters at the end of the meeting."We requested the Chief Minister to send a factual report to the Centre on the prevailing situation in Telangana and the strong sentiment of the people for a separate state," they added.Taking strong exception to remarks by AICC official spokespersons Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Renuka Choudary that the ongoing indefinite strike was not having any impact on people, they said such remarks could be because of "misrepresentation of facts" by the state government.The MPs urged the Chief Minister to not use police force against the striking workers of Singareni Collieries coal fields as well as other protesters."We asked him to stop police excesses," they said.The Steering Committee members also wanted the government to postpone the recruitment examination (main) for Group-1 services."The Chief Minister said the strike would not have any impact on the Group-1 exam. He, however, agreed to take a decision on our request after discussing it with ministers from Telangana region," the MPs added.MPs Manda Jagannadham, S Rajaiah and other leaders were part of the delegation that met the Chief Minister.
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