Reiterating that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has always opposed the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that it is time the TDP and BJP made their stands clear on the issue.
The Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Samiti (VUPPC) leaders, who have been sprearheading the agitation against the privatisation decision of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, met the Chief Minister during his Memantha Siddham bus yatra camp at Yendada in Bhimili Assembly constituency on April 23 (Tuesday).
VUPPC leaders including Manthri Rajasekhar, D. Adinarayana, Ch. Narasinga Rao submitted a representation to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the plight of the steel plant and the prompt action need to be taken by the Union and the State governments.
Addressing the VUPPC team, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the YSRCP government opposed the privatisation proposal by sending an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to reconsider the proposal. The YSRCP government also passed a resolution in the Assembly against the proposal, he pointed out.
“Despite being in an alliance, the TDP and the BJP have different stands on the steel plant issue. But, the YSRCP has only one stand and that is against privatisation. The YSRCP has the right to seek votes from the steel plant employees and workers,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The YSRCP knows that permanent allocation of iron ore mines will improve the performance of the steel plant significantly. My party has been putting pressure on the Centre for it,” he added.
