Jagan government playing dubious role on VSP, alleges Nara Lokesh

Amaravati: The opposition TDP on Thursday accused the ruling YSRCP of "playing a dubious role" and not putting pressure on the Centre to stall the ongoing privatisation of the Vizag steel plant.

"The steel plant should remain in government control, considering how Andhra people waged prolonged agitations and farmers gave away thousands of acres of their ancestral lands. The Jagan Mohan Reddy regime is playing a dubious role in the whole privatisation plan," claimed TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh.

The opposition leader claimed that the people of Visakhapatnam would chase away senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy due to his attempts to undermine the agitations on the issue.

"When plant employees and the people were rising up in massive protests, Sai was bold enough to say that he cannot give an assurance to the agitators but only get an appointment with the Prime Minister," the TDP supremo's son said.

Branding YSRCP leaders as "fake", Lokesh alleged that they were issuing false statements to demotivate people.

According to the TDP leader, YSRCP candidates would lose their security deposits in the next Assembly elections if they failed to fight against the ongoing privatisation.

He said that the TDP would support the agitations to bring all possible pressure on the state and central governments.

Former TDP MLA from Gajuwaka, Palla Srinivasa Rao, has already begun a hunger strike against the plant's privatisation.

Lokesh claimed that the TDP had bagged 38 per cent of the seats in the first phase of the four-phased rural local bodies' elections, despite all-round attacks by YSRCP.

"The YSRCP tried to win the polls through threats, kidnappings, tearing of nomination papers etc due to fear of losing. The YSRCP leaders even sent WhatsApp messages to voters to threaten withdrawal of pensions and house site pattas if they did not vote for the YSRCP," he claimed.

On Thursday, Lokesh visited Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple in Mangalagiri town and inaugurated a health camp of Lakshminarasimha goldsmiths welfare society.

He announced Rs 5 lakh financial support for the welfare of goldsmiths and promised them continuous TDP support.