Congress takes up 36-hour Deeksha for steel plant

Mahabubabad: The Congress cadres led by Yellandu MLA Banoth Haripriya Naik on Wednesday launched a 36-hour Deeksha demanding the Central government to establish an integrated steel plant at Bayyaram in Mahabubabad district. Referring to the promises made in the AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014, Haripriya, Congress Legislature Party Deputy Leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy and Kothagudem MLA Vanama Venkateshwar Rao have also found fault with the state government for not exerting pressure on the Centre.  

“It’s high time for the Centre to make its intentions clear whether it would fulfill its promise or not. Even on the last day of Parliament Session on Wednesday, the BJP government did not take up the long-pending demand of Bayyaram steel plant. Both the Centre and the state have been dillydallying over the plant with surveys,” said Haripriya.    

Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy criticised the Centre for not implementing the components of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. It also indicates the failure of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who failed to prevail over the Centre with regard to the steel plant establishment.  

Vanama Venkateshwar Rao said that even though the then Congress had proposed to set up a steel plant at Bayyaram for providing employment to the locals, both the Centre and the State have totally failed to fulfill the promise.  

Mahabubabad DCC president J Bharath Chandra Reddy, TPCC secretary Katla Ranga Rao, Minority State convener Md Fazal, leaders of Ukku Sadhana Samithi and Sarpanches of neighbouring villages extended their support to the protest. Mahabubabad DCC president J Bharath Chandra Reddy, TPCC secretary Katla Ranga Rao and Minority State convener Md Fazal were among others present.