Hyderabad, Apr 20: The Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owner's Association (APLOA) today claimed that the 7-day old truckers' strike in the twin cities was total and it would go by the decision of the All India Motor Transport Congress' about the withdrawal of the strike. Denying Transport Minister Damodar Reddy's claim that truckers in the twin cities have called off the strike, P Gopal Naidu, president of the association, said that APLOA, representing 228 transport organisations in the state have been invited by the government for talks tomorrow. "We are in the process of consultation among ourselves before we take a decision to hold talks", Naidu said. "In fact, we have decided to intensify our agitation from tomorrow by not allowing any movement of lorries except the milk and water tankers", Naidu said. The minister's claim was misleading and the Andhra Pradesh Transport Joint Action Committee (APTJAC) is a self-styled committee which represents no association or organisation, he said.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu called a joint meeting of the APTJAC and the officials and advised to sort out the problems.

On the assurance of the chief minister, the APTJAC convenor Md Iqbal Hussain told reporters that the twin cities' lorry owners have called off the strike.

About 1.70 lakh trucks -- heavy, medium and small -- were off the roads in the state following a call by the All India Motor Transport Congress demanding various concessions in taxes, permits and reduction in diesel prices.

Bureau Report