CPI parts ways with TRS, withdraws support for the pink party in Huzurnagar polls

Hyderabad: In a major jolt to the ruling TRS party, the CPI on Tuesday announced the withdrawal of its support to the pink party in the Huzurnagar by-election. CPI was the only party that supported the TRS in the by-election. Inability to resolve the ongoing RTC strike and not responding to the subsequent suicides by two employees were the prime reasons behind withdrawal of the support. CPI demanded the state government to hold immediate talks with the RTC unions. However, the red party is yet to decide on whom to extend their support in the forthcoming by-election.

A day after the deadline — October 13 — given to TRS to resolve the RTC issue, CPI decided to withdraw its support to the ruling party in the Huzurnagar by-election. CPI Telangana state secretary Chada Venkata Reddy and senior party leaders convened a meeting as there was no response from the TRS party on the RTC strike, which entered the tenth day.

“We had supported the TRS party in Huzurnagar by-election. However, after the development of the RTC strike call, two suicides, and uncertainty among employees made us rethink our support to TRS. We asked Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to resolve the issue at the earliest. No official response has been given. We set a deadline until October 13 for TRS to come out with a comprehensive plan to resolve the RTC issue. So far, neither the Chief Minister nor the government has responded to our request,” Venkata Reddy said.

He noted that their party discussed at length about the RTC problem and the state government’s stubbornness. “Instead of resolving the issue, the state government is acting like a dictator. It’s an inhuman act to dismiss 48,000 employees for just observing a strike call. The CPI party will soon decide on whom to support in the by-election,” added Venkata Reddy.

Meanwhile, another RTC employee attempted suicide on Monday. RTC employees participated in ‘Vanta Vaarpu’, a protest programme at HCU bus depot. An anguished conductor, Sandeep, cut the nerves on his hand. His colleagues immediately rushed him to the nearby hospital. Sandeep is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Earlier in the day, the police pressurised the family members of the deceased Surender Goud to complete ritual formalities as quickly as possible. RTC employees in large number participated in the ritual. There was a heated exchange of words between the police and RTC employees.