All eyes are now riveted on the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy who faces a major test to his leadership and negotiating skills as he prepares to two crucial set of meetings on Wednesday.
In the wake of worsening situation in Seemandhra due to the ongoing ant-bifurcation agitation, Kiran will hold negotiations on Wednesday with the representatives of AP Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) association and the power department employees Joint Action Committee separately.
The two rounds of talks will determine where Andhra Pradesh is headed.
If the Chief Minister succeeds in breaking the logjam and get the striking employees withdraw their strike, he will gain major points in the eyes of the Congress high command.
Kiran desperately needs to succeed in this attempt as both his political future and also the fate of the turmoil-hit state are dependent on the outcome of these negotiations.
The UPA leadership is keenly watching the progress of the talks between the Chief Minister and the agitating employees.
Though Kiran has personally thrown his weight behind the cause of united AP, he needs to muster all his negotiating skills to convince the employees to call off their stir which is causing immense hardship to the people of the state, particularly in Seemandhra region.
If the talks fail, then a full-blown crisis will become inevitable, prompting the Centre to invoke Article 356 and impose President's rule in AP. It will also lead to invoking the stringent provisions of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and arrest the striking employee leaders.
The collapse of the talks will certainly lead to an unprecedented power crisis.
The spectre of southern power grid collapse is already looming large with the previous two rounds of talks between Chief Minister and power sector employees failing to yield any result.
The 30,000 employees of electricity department in Seemandhra region have vowed to continue their indefinite strike till the Union Government gave an assurance to keep the state united.
