Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said the government did not dismiss any agitating employees as it is self-explanatory that those who did not report for duty within the deadline opted out of their jobs themselves.

An official release issued by the chief minister's office reiterated that as far as the government or the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation is concerned, there are only 1,200 employees and the rest opted out of their jobs.

"In the view of the government and RTC, there are only 1200 employees. The government has no necessity to dismiss the remaining employees. Since they have not joined their duties within the deadline, it is assumed that they opted self-dismissal (self dismissed).. they all left (jobs) by themselves. They did not respond to the requests made by the RTC management or the government," the release quoted Rao as saying.

Different employees' and workers' unions of the TSRTC began an indefinite strike on Friday midnight across Telangana following a call given by the Joint Action Committee of the corporation, demanding merger of the RTC with the government and recruitment to various posts, among other things.

Indicating itsfirmstand against thestrike, the state government had earlier said the stir was illegal and set 6 pm on October 5 as deadline for the agitating employees to report for duty.

Barring those 1,200 who are recognised as employees of the RTC, those who did not meet the deadline and "opted out" of jobs, should not gather at bus depots and disrupt peace at these depots, the release said.

"I have ordered the DGP to keep special police force at the bus depots and take stern action against those who disturb peace," the chief minister said. According to Rao, 10,400 busesare currently with the Corporation and in future 50 per cent, 5200, will be owned by the organisation, while 30 per cent will be taken on hire model and rest 20 per cent allotted to private parties.

Rao claimed that people of the state were appreciating his action against the protesting employees. Earlier, an union leader said trade bodies of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation will challenge the state government's decision to sack about 48,000 agitating employees, as and when they are served with dismissal or suspension notices. Telangana Mazdoor Union president E Ashwathama Reddy, however, clarified that the agitating workers have not received any dismissal or suspension notice from the government or the RTC management.