Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's meeting with leaders of Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (TEJAC) is taking place today (24 October 2011). The meeting is being attended by chairperson M Kodandaram, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) and representatives of different unions. The meeting holds significance because it will decide on the future of the strike.

Talks are also on with Telangana employees unions to ask them to rejoin work in the light of the appeal made by Union Minister and in-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Mr Azad had yestrday said, "There is a prolonged agitation in Telangana by employees of the state government. It is almost five weeks since it started. As a result, the general public is suffering... facing hardships particularly during the festival days. I would like to appeal to the employees of Telangana to call off the strike."

Telangana region has been on a standstill for weeks as pro-Telangana leaders have been protesting against the Centre's inaction in giving the region a separate state status. The protesters continued Sakala Janula Samme with rallies and other protests on Sunday in support of their demand. Leaders of pro-Telangana employees of the state electricity department observed a fast in Hyderabad, while several leaders from BJP and TRS expressed solidarity with them. Pro-Telangana employees have been participating in the general strike since September 13 but various unions of employees like those of teachers have withdrawn their stir in the last couple of weeks. However, some pro-Telangana employees still are continuing their strike.