Why are the RTC unions so hell-bent on continuing the strike and why are they so determined for a face-off with KCR? The real reason is not RTC's future or even the demands that they are putting forth. The real reason they are fighting is to save their union. The TRS-affiliated union is afraid that KCR will split and weaken the union. They are cagey that he would render the union completely ineffective.
The RTC union is a creation of the TRS and Harish Rao personally molded its leader Ashwatthama Reddy. The union played a key role in the movement for Telangana state. There were many such unions and employees organisations which sweated it out for Telangana. There is a fear among these unions that KCR is out to decimate them. For instance, the power employees organisation was one of the staunchest supporters of Telangana movment. It's leader has now been shunted out to Adilabad. This was done soon after he raised questions about power purchase from Chhattisgarh.
Similarly, MRPS, which backed TRS to the hilt, was split and weakened. Remember it was Manda Krishna Madiga, who offered juice to end the indefinite fast of KCR in December 2009. Several other unions too were split in the same way. The Joint Action Committee is today a shadow of itself. The key leaders have been weaned away and Kodandaram has been rendered completely powerless. Government Junior College Lecturers' Association chief Madhusudhan Reddy has been arrested in connection with disproportionate assets case. There is a buzz that KCR might split the RTC union too and wean away some leaders. Hence Ashwatthama Reddy and other union leaders are fighting it out so seriously, say sources.
The RTC union is a creation of the TRS and Harish Rao personally molded its leader Ashwatthama Reddy. The union played a key role in the movement for Telangana state. There were many such unions and employees organisations which sweated it out for Telangana. There is a fear among these unions that KCR is out to decimate them. For instance, the power employees organisation was one of the staunchest supporters of Telangana movment. It's leader has now been shunted out to Adilabad. This was done soon after he raised questions about power purchase from Chhattisgarh.
Similarly, MRPS, which backed TRS to the hilt, was split and weakened. Remember it was Manda Krishna Madiga, who offered juice to end the indefinite fast of KCR in December 2009. Several other unions too were split in the same way. The Joint Action Committee is today a shadow of itself. The key leaders have been weaned away and Kodandaram has been rendered completely powerless. Government Junior College Lecturers' Association chief Madhusudhan Reddy has been arrested in connection with disproportionate assets case. There is a buzz that KCR might split the RTC union too and wean away some leaders. Hence Ashwatthama Reddy and other union leaders are fighting it out so seriously, say sources.