Jagan prefers Swamiji to Visakha Steel, says Varla Ramaiah

Mangalagiri: TDP national general secretary Varla Ramaiah criticised Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for 'disrespecting' the ongoing agitation against the privatisation of the Visakha Steel Plant (VSP) by not visiting the protesters' camps during his Wednesday's visit to the port city.

He deplored that the Chief Minister had no time to call on the agitators at the steel plant, but had all the time to personally go and meet the Vizag Swamiji on his Peetham premises. It was objectionable on the part of the Chief Minister to prostrate before a Swamiji from whom the people of the State had derived no benefit whatsoever so far.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said that by surrendering to the Swamiji, Jagan has hurt the sentiments of 5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister was not respecting the honour of the people whom he should be representing in his capacity as the Chief Minister. Jagan had no right to visit the Swamiji's Peetham in his capacity as the Chief Minister. Moreover, the Swamiji was openly giving support to a political party. While Jagan was a Christian, the Swamiji was representing the Hindu devotees.

Ramaiah asserted that on the other hand, former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited and expressed his support to the steel plant agitators on Tuesday. Naidu had also announced his party support, if Jagan comes forward and leads the agitation against the privatisation of the VSP. It seems the Chief Minister had visited Visakhapatnam to meet with the Swamiji more than to meet with the VSP workers unions. Ramaiah told the Chief Minister that the people of the State had elected him to take care of the State's development with transparency and accountability. Every citizen would expect the Chief Minister to work for the betterment of the State. But on his part, Jagan was pursuing only his personal, selfish agenda with no respect to the sentiments or wellbeing of the people.

The TDP leader deplored that the Chief Minister was bending his neck in front of everyone instead of fulfilling his vow to bend the necks of the Central government if his party was given 25 MPs.