The municipal elections will sound the death knell for the TDP, according to YSRCP Rajya Sabha member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy.
Addressing the media here on Friday, Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy said that the YSRCP had won almost 90% of the seats in the recently gram panchayat elections. It would maintain the same record in the elections to the GVMC and other urban local bodies in the State, he asserted.
Taking a dig at TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son and party national general secretary Lokesh, the YSRCP leader alleged that the TDP leaders had grabbed valuable lands in the city for the benefit of their close aides and party workers under the garb of housing schemes and industrial purposes.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was focussing on holistic development of the city with emphasis on housing for the poor, he added.
Executive capital
Wondering why Mr. Naidu was against making Visakhapatnam the Executive capital, Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy said, “The TDP leader has no right to seek votes as he is against the three capitals, decentralised development, and overall development of the North Andhra region.”
Reiterating that Visakhapatnam would become the Executive Capital, the YSRCP MP said, “It may take some time, but it will happen. Vizag will be on a par with any of the top metro cities in the country.”
VSP issue
On the proposed privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy said that the YSRCP was vehemently opposing it.
“We wholeheartedly supported the State bandh called opposing the move. We did not allow APSRTC buses to ply till noon. Even after resuming the services, the RTC drivers and conductors sported black badges in support of the VSP employees,” he said.
The Chief Minister had written a letter to the Prime Minister expressing his unhappiness over the Centre’s decision. He had also decided to ensure passage of a resolution to this effect in the Legislative Assembly. “What has Mr. Naidu done?” Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy questioned.
Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao said that the BJP-JSP combine should come clear on on the VSP issue.
Visakhapatnam was poised to become an internationally-famed destination, he said, and added that the Chief Minister was making all efforts to bring Godavari water to the city. Metro rail, Bhogapuram airport and industrial corridors were the other projects in the pipeline, he added.
‘Vision for Vizag’
Agriculture Minister K. Kannababu said that Visakhapatnam was being developed with a vision. A number of developmental projects were in the offing, he said.
Accusing Mr. Naidu of doing nothing for the development of Visakhapatnam, Mr. Kannababu said, “Mr. Naidu had only organised summits with no tangible results in his five-year rule.”
Mr. Naidu seemed to have lost his equilibrium after the TDP-backed sarpanch candidate lost the election in his home turf Kuppam.
