Hyderabad: After a marathon meeting with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, the APNGOS and several other employees associations have called off their strike, although temporarily.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, APNGOs’ president P. Ashok Babu revealed that the Chief Minister has assured them as the Chief minister of an integrated state, he continues to be for an integrated state. The CM told them that bifurcation of the state “will not take place before 2014”.

He made it clear to the Chief Minister that the employees will re-launch the strike once the Telangana resolution is going to be tabled in the state Assembly.

While not diverting their focus from the ‘Samaikyandhra’ slogan,  APNGOs sought assurance from the state government on continuing Article 371 (D).

It is being said that there has been some correspondence between the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government on the Article 371(D).

The APNGOs also discussed the contentious issue related to tabling of a resolution or Bill on bifurcation. CM assured them that “regardless of a Bill or a resolution coming to the Assembly, the leadership of the state will do its best to face that eventuality”.

However, the employees said that the calling off is only temporary and cautioned that they will launch flash strikes if any forward movement on state bifurcation is kick-started by the Centre.

At the same time, CM kiran told them he cannot give assurances on issues that beyond his purview.

The APNGOs have started strike against the bifurcation of the state 70 days ago and following some assurances they got from the Chief Minister, they decided to call off strike.