BJP State president Somu Veerraju on Monday criticised the TDP, the YSRCP and the Left parties in Andhra Pradesh for organising protests against the proposed disinvestment of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and said that his party had no doubt in extending support to the ‘Visakha Ukku, Andhrula Hakku’ slogan.
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While answering the queries pertaining to the Central government’s move to divest its stake in the VSP at a media conference here, a visibly irritated Mr. Veerraju asked the journalists to question ‘those parties who had sold the Vijaya Dairy, the pride of Andhra Pradesh.’
“The A.P. unit of the BJP has already represented the VSP issue to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the other Ministers at the Centre. Instead of getting angry at us, the journalists must go and question those parties who had demolished Vijaya Dairy, a flourishing State-run dairy industry,” Mr. Veerraju quipped before abruptly closing the media conference.
The BJP State president also called for a public debate on the funds being spent on various welfare schemes being implemented in the State and the YSRCP government’s share in them.
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Central funding
“The Centre is funding and monitoring six major schemes in the State to make the cities clean under Swachh Bharat Mission, developments with the 14th and 15th Finance Commission grants, and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT),” said Mr. Veerraju.
“The Centre is releasing its share of 60% for the AMRUT scheme, while the State is not spending anything, which is the reason for the stifling finances of the urban local bodies. The ₹10,000 crore spent on the MGNREGS has ensured the running of Agri Clinics, construction of boundary walls for schools in the State,” said Mr. Veerraju.
“We are focusing on educating the people on how the municipalities have been neglected first by the TDP and then YSRCP governments. That’s why we have fielded our candidates in a limited way,” he added.