A festive atmosphere prevailed at collectorates and other government offices across the State following the announcement by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao of a 30 % hike in pay and retirement age enhancement for staff.
The employees and leaders of their unions danced to drumbeat, distributed sweets among themselves and burst crackers. They washed the cutouts of Mr. Rao with milk.
Slogan shouting hailing Mr. Rao rent the air at BRKR Bhavan which housed the Secretariat. Employees leaders met Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to thank him.
Immediately after the announcement, ministers, MLAs, MLCs and union leaders also met Mr. Rao in the Assembly premises to express their gratitude.
However, the news was also received by student unions with anguish. Activists of National Students Union of India and All India Students Federation reached the Assembly in batches to stage protest. They were quickly rounded up by the police.
BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the announcement by Mr. Rao was a result of the pressure mounted by the party. The government had no alternative but announce as people were tilting towards the BJP which was exposed in the defeat of TRS in the byelection to Dubbak Assembly constituency and GHMC polls.
He said Mr. Rao panicked over the prospect of result at Dubbak and GHMC polls repeating itself in MLC elections. Therefore, he invited union leaders and made them the mouthpiece of government promising implementation of PRC.
