PCC chief accuses PM of lying on Visakha steel

Vijayawada: Squarely blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reeling out lies on Visakha Steel plant, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila said here on Thursday that Modi has more love on Kannada steel rather than the rights of Andhra people.

Addressing the media, Sharmila pointed out that there had been conspiracies to hand over the valuable steel plant to the friends of Modi on a platter. On one hand, they clarify that there would not be privatisation of the plant and on the other they deny any financial help for its re-vival.

The Central government had allocated Rs 15,000 crore financial help for the Karnataka steel plant since Union Minister of Steel HD Kumaraswamy represents Karnataka. It should be not-ed that only 243 workers are there in the Karnataka steel plant but there are 26,000 workers in the Visakha steel plant.

Sharmila ridiculed the TDP-Jana Sena MPs who had been serving the interest of the Central government instead of working for the welfare of the state.

Narendra Modi turns Nelson’s eye to the 1,400-day old strike by steel plant workers. However, Chief Minister N Chandrababu had been discussing Mittal Steel with Narendra Modi, she said and wondered what kind of justice is that.

The Congress party demanded immediate financial help of Rs 15,000 crore also to Visakha plant and immediately merged the plant with SAIL. It also demanded starting production of seven million tonnes at Visakha plant which should go up to 20 million tonnes in future. If the TDP is not capable of achieving it, along with the Jana Sena it should walk out of the NDA.