YSRCP Vows to Fight VSP Privatization, Criticizes Coalition’s Inconsistency
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has once again made it clear that it strongly opposes the privatization of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). Former minister Gudivada Amarnath said the party will make an action plan to stop the privatization.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Amarnath criticized the coalition leaders, accusing them of changing their position after elections. He pointed out that the coalition, which had opposed privatization during the elections, has stayed silent now, even as workers are being forced into voluntary retirement or losing jobs.
Amarnath reminded everyone of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s warning during the elections that voting for the coalition meant supporting privatization. He claimed that the situation is proving him right, as private companies are now visiting VSP departments to take over.
He showed videos of coalition leaders like Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, and Rammohan Naidu, who spoke against privatization during the campaign but have not said anything now. On the other hand, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has stood firm against the privatization, and even Union Minister Kumaraswamy acknowledged that the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had passed a resolution opposing the move.
Amarnath criticized the growing privatization efforts and accused the government of pushing workers out of their jobs. He said that YSRCP has always opposed privatization, unlike the coalition partners who have not been consistent.
Amarnath also criticized leaders like Naidu, Lokesh, and Pawan Kalyan for using Visakhapatnam for publicity events but ignoring the problems of VSP employees. “They use Vizag for events but for payments, it’s always Amaravati,” he said.
He also took a dig at the coalition over the Rushikonda Resort, calling it a “punching bag” used to target the leadership. Despite issues like a broken ceiling after Pawan Kalyan’s visit, the resort continues to be a point of criticism. Meanwhile, the Secretariat, built at high costs by Naidu, has not received the same level of attention, Amarnath pointed out.