Hyderabad, Oct 23 (IANS): Tension prevailed in Nalgonda district of Telangana as police arrested scores of pro-Telangana striking government employees heading towards Nagarjuna Sagar to lay siege to a Congress minister's house, demanding his resignation.

Protestors in Nalgonda, Miryalguda, Haliya and other places in the district were arrested since Saturday night. Over 150 employees were taken into custody Sunday morning in Nalgonda town as they launched a bike rally to Nagarjuna Sagar, the assembly constituency of Panchayat Minister Raj K. Jana Reddy.

The minister is also the co-chairman of steering committee of Congress leaders from Telangana.

Police sealed all routes leading to Sagar to prevent the protestors from reaching there.

The arrests, including those of the leaders of employees' unions, triggered protests in Nalgonda town. Protestors tried to barge into the office of the district superintendent of police but were dispersed by the police.

Government employees, who are on strike for over a month demanding separate statehood to Telangana, alleged that Jana Reddy is not only refusing to resign but also conspiring with the government to end the strike by employees and workers.

Employees of state-owned Road Transport Corporation, Singareni Collieries and teachers called off their strike last week but the government employees are continuing the strike, which began Sep 13.

Telangana Employees' Joint Action Committee leader Swami Goud condemned the arrests and demanded release of all those taken into custody.

"If the arrested employees are not released by this evening, the employees and workers who have called off their strike will also resume the protest," he said.

Congress legislator K. Venkat Reddy, who resigned as the state minister early this month demanding separate state, condemned the arrests.