Both the governments of AP and T have recently increased the wages for the State government employees.
While Telangana could afford to do so as it was a revenue surplus state, the government employees of AP pressurized Chandrababu to follow suit. This seems to have opened a Pandora’s Box.
The RTC Unions of both AP and Telangana have now warned their respective governments of a state-wide agitation from April 16 if their wages were not increased on par with those of the government employees.
The unions have also demanded an immediate bifurcation of the RTC. While KCR would obviously agree to the wage hike without much further ado, it is not going to be easy for Chandrababu. There is no way that he can accommodate a pay hike at this juncture.
Babu should have made it clear to the government employees at the outset itself that pay hikes would be given but at a later stage.
Now, having acceded to their demands, how can he say no to the RTC staff? He will end up losing a lot of votes. But if he says yes, where is going to get the money from? Singapore?