Pro-united Andhra Pradesh government employees begin strike against bifurcation

HYDERABAD: The pro-united Andhra employees of the state government on Thursday began a strike against the Centre's move to divide the state.

The employees stayed away from work at several places in the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and organised rallies against the proposed bifurcation of AP.

Students and other united-Andhra supporters also held rallies, formed human chains and organised other forms of protest at places like Vijayawada, Tirupati and Rajahmundry.

The employees of various departments, under the auspices of 'Forum for Protection of United State', served a strike notice to the state government on February 4, 2014.

Led by the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) association, the pro-united AP government employees had struck work for over two months last year, which had paralysed normal life in Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra (together known as Seemandhra).

The strike by the employees came against the backdrop of the Centre's plans to move the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill in the ongoing Parliament session.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, accompanied by several Union ministers, state ministers, Congress MLAs and MLCs from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions staged a sit-in in Delhi yesterday.

He also met President Pranab Mukherjee with the request to see that the division of Andhra Pradesh does not take place.