Hyderabad: The political establishment of Telangana went into a tizzy after DC broke the news of twin developments behind the RTS strike – news of induction of e-busses into the fleet and CM’s announcement that 20 per cent of buses in the RTC would be run by private organisations.
Following an article published in Deccan Chronicle Monday, headlined, ‘RTC strike singes KCR – 40 new electric buses benefit buddy Megha Krishna Reddy’ has created a sensation amongst political circles, RTC unions and public.
Responding to it, politicos strongly condemned the government’s decisions, calling them unethical and illegal, designed and bound only to benefit a private corporate at the cost of the RTC.
“Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to privatise the TSRTC by awarding tenders on the sly to ‘Megha’ Venkata Krish-na Reddy,” said Congress working president and Malkajgiri MP A. Revan-th Reddy.
Mr Revanth Reddy further alleged, “The Chief Minister wants to take the subsidy money of `2,100 crore which would accrue because of the purchase of 2,100 buses from the company, Olectra. He wants to give away buses running in profitable routes to Megha Krishna Reddy’s company and run RTC buses in routes running in losses.”
Reacting to the issue, Mr Bandi Sanjay Kumar, MP, Karimnagar, said, “The Chief Minister wants to hand over all RTC and government properties to a corporate. Procure-ment of e-buses is part of the plan to completely privatise the RTC. The BJP would fight against KCR’s plan of handing over the RTC to private companies and make over 50,000 employees suffer. We will not allow that to happen at any cost.”
“We demand a white paper from the TRS government on the decision taken in regards to the RTC issue. The public has faith in the government. The apprehensions of the RTC employees about the plans to privatise their corporation has been exposed beyond doubt with the news published in DC on Monday,” said Mr L. Ramana, president, Telangana TD.
Prof. M. Kodandaram, president, Telangana Jana Samiti, said that the government does not want the RTC to get subsidy on e-buses and conspired to allocate busses through Megha Krishna Reddy. “The news published in DC proves that the allegations of RTC employees. The plans of the government were not to strengthen the RTC but to help private companies,” Prof. Kodanda-ram said.
When contacted to comment about the issue, a senior leader of the TRS, holding a high position currently, on condition of anonymity, said that “they do not know the happenings in the government on the issue,” adding, “we would get roasted if our leadership learnt we spoke in this issue. ‘Men in power’ know what is better than us in any case.”
