Hyderabad, Oct 23 (IANS): The striking employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) on Wednesday said they have not dropped the demand for its merger with the government. Their statement came a day after Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao announced that barring the merger, the remaining demands will be examined.

On a day when a six-member panel of the TSRTC began examining 21 demands of the striking employees, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of employee unions clarified that they have not given up the demand for the merger.

JAC Convenor Ashwathama Reddy told reporters that there is no question of going back on the demand for the merger. He alleged that Chandrashekhar Rao went back on the promise that after formation of Telangana state, TSRTC employees will be recognized as the government employees.

Over 48,000 employees continued their indefinite strike on 19th day on Wednesday. The JAC leader appeared to the employees to maintain unity and not to lose patience.

The Chief Minister had said on Tuesday that during the hearing in the High Court, the employee unions gave up the merger demand. He said the six-member committee of TSRTC officials will look into remaining 21 demands and submit a report in couple of days.

The panel, which held a meeting on Wednesday, is likely to invite JAC for talks on Thursday. Based on the committee's report, the government will take a stand during the next hearing of the case in the High Court on October 28.

The high court, which is hearing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on the matter, has already directed the TSRTC to hold talks with the striking employees.