Seemandhra teachers to go on strike to oppose AP bifurcation

HYDERABAD: The pro-united Andhra teachers' unions and employees in the Secretariat here would go on indefinite strike against the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh.

The pro-united AP teachers in Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra would begin their strike from midnight tomorrow, their leaders said.

The Seemandhra employees of the Secretariat, who have been agitating against division of AP for several days now, said they would also launch the indefinite strike soon.

The employees of various government departments from the two regions had already begun an indefinite strike from August 12 in protest against the ruling Congress' recent decision in favour of separate Telangana.

The government employees from Telangana and Seemandhra regions have come to face off at several government offices in the last several days where police had to intervene to see that the situation does not go out of control.

Meanwhile, protests continued across Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in support of united Andhra Pradesh.

The agitators blocked highways at some places and held rallies, human chains, sit-ins, hunger strikes among others.

The counseling (verification of certificates) for admission into engineering and other professional courses was either put off or continued to be disrupted at several places in the Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra regions due to the protests.

A report from Srikakulam said students and parents requested the protesters to exempt counseling from the protests as the admission process was already late by three months.

The employees of judicial department have also joined hands with the agitating employees of Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) association, RTC employees and other organisations since yesterday, it said.

In Anantapur district, the pro-united Andhra employees organised a massive rally to the national highway and the advocates took out a bike rally.