MP's pada yatra starts amid rousing reception

Visakhapatnam: Amid rousing reception, Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy's 25-km-long 'pada yatra' commenced near Gandhi statue opposite municipal corporation office on Saturday morning.

Aimed at the withdrawal of the strategic sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, 'Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Yatra' began in Visakhapatnam with the support of the all-party leaders and trade unions.

Holding placards, an army of politicians, ministers, including Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dharmana Krishna Das, and volunteers, joined the 25-km-long trek which is expected to conclude in the evening.

Responding to the statements made by the Opposition that the state government is not taking the steel plant issue forward to Delhi and are confined to 'empty promises', Vijayasai Reddy made it clear that the fight against VSP's privatisation will continue both inside and outside the Parliament with the guidance of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The MP called for combined efforts to save Visakhapatnam Steel Plant from strategic sale. "YSRCP will continue its protest until the Centre takes back its proposal of privatisation of VSP," the MP said.

From RTC Complex, the trek, that drew large participants, will pass through Thatichetlapalem, Marripalem, NAD, Old Gajuwaka, BHPV area and Kurmannapalem, covering five constituencies.

Those who embarked on the pada yatra said that their collective fight will continue until the Centre withdraws its decision to privatise the steel plant.

MLAs Gudivada Amarnath, Golla Baburao and Adeep Raj, YSRCP city president Vamsi Krishna Yadav and convenor KK Raju joined the pada yatra that began after paying floral tributes to the Gandhi statue.

The city roads along the trek route were choc-o-block as people from various sections took part in the pada yatra with enthusiasm.