Making it clear that the YSRCP is against the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that voting in favour of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance means the steel plant will lose its Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) tag.
Addressing the gathering during his election campaign in favour of YSRCP nominees Gudivada Amarnath (Gajuwaka Assembly) and Botcha Jhansi (Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha) in Gajuwaka on May 7 (Tuesday), Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that victory of the alliance candidate would mean that people of this constituency agreed to the privatisation of the steel plant.
“The alliance parties (NDA) will take the victory of their candidates as a referendum on the privatisation of the steel plant,” he cautioned.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre did not go ahead with the privatisation proposal only because of the firm stand against it taken by the YSRCP government.
“I will never change my stand against the VSP privatisation. I will not allow it to happen. If the NDA candidate wins Gajuwaka Assembly seat, it would mean that people here want it and I will be helpless in that case. Voters here should keep this in mind and take a wise decision,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Referring to the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the YSRCP government during his election campaign in Anakapalli on May 6, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that Mr. Modi had once described TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu as the man who converted Polavaram irrigation project into an ATM. “Mr. Naidu and JS president Pawan Kalyan have criticised Mr. Modi on several occasions. But they are singing praises for each other after forming the alliance,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He pointed out that Mr. Modi and Mr. Naidu did not talk about the Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh, Polavaram project, Visakhapatnam railway zone and more importantly the VSP during their campaign in Anakapalli.
“Instead of giving assurances in the election meeting, they criticised the YSRCP government. It is a pity that even the Prime Minister is telling lies to win the elections. People should watch closely how these leaders are changing colours for political gain,” he said.
