Hyderabad: Pro-united AP employees call off agitation

The pro-united Andhra employees on Thursday decided to temporarily suspend their agitation following an assurance from Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on rules governing their service among others.

They, however, said they would resume their agitation whenever the legislative assembly session is convened to see that pressure is mounted on political parties so as to prevent the state's division.

P Ashok Babu, President of Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association, told reporters that the chief minister has agreed to send their proposals to the Centre on Article 371 (d) which provides protection to the employees.

He said the chief minister has urged them to call off their strike keeping in mind public interest. Replying to a query, he said the strike has succeeded in expressing the strong sentiment of the people in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region in support of united Andhra Pradesh.

The employees of power sector and pubic transport had ended their strike, which threw normal life out of gear in the Seema-Andhra region, last week.

The chief Minister has assured the association that he would continue to work for united Andhra Pradesh.