K Chandrasekhar Rao meets Gov, clears stand on RTC strike

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao called on Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday, leading to speculations among political circles. This is the first time that the CM has met the Governor after expanding his cabinet.

Sources said during his two-and-a-half hour meeting, the Chief Minister explained to her the state government's stand on the strike by RTC employees. He reportedly informed the Governor that the government would deal with RTC issue as per the new Motor Vehicle Act of the union government.

The CM underlined that there would be no going back on privatisation of 5,100 RTC routes.

The government will also bring in a new policy on privatisation of the corporation. He informed the Governor that a cabinet meeting will soon be held to decide on a policy of bringing in private buses into the RTC.

In this context, he appealed to the Governor to approve an ordinance following the cabinet decision.

It is learnt that if the Governor does not approve the ordinance, the policy will be brought before a special session of the assembly for approval in the first week of December.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party have been repeatedly countering the TRS claim that there are no provisions in the new Act of the union government to privatise the RTC.

In this context, the CM has decided to amend the new Motor Vehicle Act introduced by the union government and go ahead with the state's new policy.