Will continue to oppose strategic sale of VSP, says YSRCP

Visakhapatnam: Emphasising that the YSRCP strongly opposes privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), former IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath said that an action plan will be drafted to take the fight forward unlike the coalition government that gave up on the fight to save the plant.

Speaking to media here on Saturday, Amarnath said the alliance which opposed privatisation of VSP has been maintaining stoic silence on the issue after coming to power, even as contract employees are removed and VRS to employees continue.

Earlier, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, during electioneering, categorically stated that every vote for the coalition is a vote for privatisation, and his prediction has come true with private agencies to take over 32 critical departments of the plant, Amarnath criticised.

Jagan Mohan Reddy government passed a resolution in the Assembly against VSP privatisation and opposed the Centre’s move. But now, efforts are on to privatise VSP, and employees are being forcibly shown the exit door, the former minister said.

Further, Amarnath pointed out that Visakhapatnam is being used as a convenient platform by N. Chandrababu Naidu, Lokesh, and Pawan Kalyan for hosting events and getting publicity, but the plight of VSP employees is never discussed in a serious manner. “They need Vizag for events. But for payments, it’s always Amaravati,” he remarked.

Whenever there is a crisis, the coalition government raises the issue of Rushikonda resort for diversion. The tourism resort has become a target to criticise the Jagan Mohan Reddy leadership, he criticised.