Has Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy held talks and reached a deal with a South Korean company on the privatisation of the multi-crore Visakha Steel Plant? There are reports that CM Jagan struck a deal with Posco Managing Director at his Tadepalli residence on October 29, 2019 itself. When the photos of this appeared in the media, the steel plant unions had expressed their resentment at that time itself.

If that was the case, how is that the CM has now written a letter to the Prime Minister to roll back the privatisation drive? The TDP says the Chief Minister is clearly telling all lies in this respect. Former MLA Bonda Uma says that this is clearly one more quid pro quo deal that is aimed at giving the Rs. 2 lakh Cr worth Visakha Steel to the South Korean company at just Rs. 5,000 Cr.

Mr. Uma said that the YCP collusion was evident by the fact that its 28 MPs did not utter a single word against the Vizag Steel privatisation when it was announced in the Parliament. They were all there in Delhi only to promote their selfish financial interests and to grab assets and industries in AP but not to protect the interests of the State. MP Vijaya Sai Reddy has been playing a dubious role in destroying the steel plant also. The CM and his MPs have prepared ground to loot the special economic zones (SEZs), prominent clubs and ports in the State. They have set their sights on Waltair Club, Film Nagar Club, Bay Park, etc in Vizag. Now, they were not even sparing the Visakha Steel which was regarded as the pride of Andhra. The YCP leaders have already grabbed the Kakinada SEZ, Kakinada Port, Krishnapatnam Port, Bandar Port and such huge assets.

TDP leader Bonda Uma on Monday claimed that he was on the hit list of the ruling YSRCP saying there’s a constant threat to his life and demanded that police protection be provided.

Talking to media, Bonda Uma, who was earlier attacked allegedly by the YSRCP leaders in run up to the civic body elections, claimed that he was receiving threat calls from the ruling party leaders that he will be killed by June 22. He also said a complaint was lodged with the police earlier, but the Jagan government had failed to provide police cover. “Even the DGP advised the government to provide police protection but so far the government had failed to take cognizance of the same,” he said.

Further, he said there was a lot of pressure on TDP leaders to quit the party to join the YSRCP. “Those who refuse to quit the party are being slapped with false cases, arrested and sent to jails. We will not be cowed down by these threats and continue to expose the misdeeds of the government under Jagan rule. Jagan and the police department will be solely held responsible if something happens to the TDP leaders. I have the phone numbers of those making the threat calls. There at least five top TDP leaders on YSRCP hit list,” he said.

He pointed out Achannaidu, J C Prabhakar Reddy and Chintamaneni, who were sent to 14-day judicial remand, are classic cases of political victimisation and vendetta by the YSRCP leadership.

While Atchannaidu was sent to 14-day judicial remand in the alleged ESI scam even after the Vigilance and Enforcement report made no mention of his name linking to the irregularities in purchase of drugs and medicines, Prabhakar Reddy was sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with alleged purchase of BS III vehicles by fabricating documents and showing them as BS IV vehicles.

Telugu Desam Party former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao has lashed out at the ruling YCP’s challenge for a debate on the one year performance of Jaganmohan Reddy rule when compared to the previous Chandrababu Naidu regime. Jagan Reddy misrule has pushed Andhra Pradesh into a deep abyss with no chance for any recovery for the next 20 years considering how YCP mafia gangs were systematically smashing all public properties including temples and schools.

The TDP leader advised Government Chief Whip Gadikota Srikant Reddy not to make boastful challenges for debates with Chandrababu Naidu or Lokesh in Kuppam. Instead, the Chief Minister should face common people for a debate in Tadepalli itself to find out how the general public were vexed with his rule in just one year. Right now, AP people were frustrated with the settlements, looting and plundering by YCP coterie in land, sand, liquor, temples, schools and everywhere.

Mr. Uma said even temples were not being spared as the YCP regime started gifting away TTD lands at Tirumala to its favoured Swamijis in a very unprecedented manner. The latest GO 165 was issued to give away 4,871 sft prime land atop Seven Hills to a Swamiji who is a YCP activist. Also, Rs. 2.5 Cr scam took place in Srisailam temple while thousands of crores worth properties of Simhachalam Temple have fallen in the eyes of the YCP leaders who were camping in Visakhapatnam.

Mr. Uma asked whether non-fulfillment of promises to DWCRA women and cancellation of Anna Canteens were not part of the ongoing destruction of poor people’s lives. Jagan Reddy promised total waiver of DWCRA loans but did not give a single rupee now. Even under Amma Vodi, only 42 lakh students out of the total 80 lakh were given Rs 15,000 cash assistance. The remaining students were disqualified on condition that only one benefit per mother. Even this money was taken back by Jagan Government under its dubious ‘Nanna Buddi’ which hiked liquor prices abnormally.

The ex MLA deplored that Jagan Reddy betrayed even tailors and nayi brahmins by putting trade licence as a condition for getting Rs. 10,000 year benefit. Getting a trade licence itself costs Rs. 15,000 per year. While there are 9 lakh vehicles in the State, YCP gave Vahana Mitra cash only for 2.26 lakh drivers but tried to get lots of publicity.

TDP former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao on Saturday deplored that in the first year of its five year rule itself, the YCP government has thoughtlessly implemented many retrogressive policies that eventually drove industrialists away from Andhra Pradesh. The hopelessly greedy and selfish policies of CM Jaganmohan Reddy have ravaged the State economy as a whole and wrecked the lives of all sections from coolies to middle income groups to crorepatis.

The TDP leader said that the atrocious sand policy of the YCP government caused an unprecedented crisis in the construction industry in the entire state that led to loss of job opportunities for 50 lakhs of construction workers with many of them driven to near starvation. CM Jagan and his party leaders dealt a never before blow to the people by making sand unavailable in the state in order to sell it at far higher prices in other states. Blackmarketing of sand within the State was also very high.

Bonda Uma said that the mindless acts like the shifting of Capital City from Amaravati had sent wrong signals that even the existing businesses and industries had begun moving away from AP. Now, it had come to a pitiable situation where no industrialist from India or abroad has invested Rs 1 lakh in Andhra Pradesh in the last one year. Even in respect of MSMEs, the government was making false claims on waiver of bills during the lockdown period when they were mostly closed.

The TDP leader asserted that the previous Chandrababu Naidu government implemented welfare programmes aimed at supporting life cycle needs of a poor family in all occasions from the cradle to the grave. The TDP gave Rs 1 lakh at the time of a girl child marriage and also Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh Chandranna Beema in times of deaths in any family. Dwacra groups were given Rs 1 lakh per year. The YCP has not implemented any such programmes. Even the welfare corporations were crippled without any funds. Prior to election, Jagan Reddy promised to form welfare corporations to all communities.

TDP is demanding that YSRCP should answer for Rs. 2,400 Cr COVID funds released by the Centre. The Opposition party is also unsparing attacking CM Jagan on his repeated comments taking light of COVID. Ex MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao has demanded that the YSR Congress Party Government explain to the people on how it had spent Rs. 2,400 Cr Coronavirus funds released by the Central Government since the outbreak of the epidemic in the state. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kishan Reddy had disclosed the release of COVID grants but the AP Government had not passed any benefit to the poor people and infected persons receiving treatment.

Bonda Uma deplored that not a single rupee of Central funds had reached the people even as the YSRCP totally ignored TDP’s demand for Rs. 5,000 cash assistance to poor workers. Sufficient rice was not given and poor quality chickpeas were given while the poor families mostly use daal. Most families were not given essential commodities. CM Jagan had not taken steps to save construction workers, migrant labourers or urban poor families who are facing near starvation for the past 40 days.

The ex MLA demanded serious action against YSRCP Anakapalli MP for diverting rice meant for ration card holders to a private godown at a time when poor people were suffering from loss of work and livelihoods in prolonged lockdown. Poor people were now asked to queue up before ration shops and give biometric credentials which is posing risk of virus transmissions to them.

Mr. Bonda Uma sarcastically hit back at CM’s comment, asking how anybody can ask to get ready for co-existence with Corona when the people want a divorce with such a dangerous pandemic. He lashed out at what he described as Jaganmohan Reddy’s ineffective administration causing a spurt in Coronavirus cases in Andhra Pradesh. While cases are increasing day by day, CM is talking about paracetamol, bleaching powder and general fever.

Talking about the newly purchased test kits, the ex MLA said that the ruling party chose to take commissions instead of focusing on comprehensive testing to eradicate the epidemic. The ruling leaders talked about distribution of 16 lakh protection masks but not even the police personnel were given such masks. The frontline warriors like doctors and nurses were still facing infection risk due to lack of required protection kits.

Mr. Bonda Uma said that over 50 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain was produced by the farmers but not even two to three lakh tonnes have been bought while farmers were not paid fully till now. Horticulture farmers are committing suicides unable to bear losses. Their orchards were destroyed. The aqua farmers have been devastated due to mounting losses. In the course of 40 days, not even one ton of shrimp or fish was bought.

Taking on the state government, Mr. Bonda Uma asked what has happened to Rs 3,000 crore price stabilization fund promised by CM. The government has not paid minimum support price to the farmers so far.

The TDP is asking YCP government whether or not the Eastern Naval Command has seriously warned it against shifting Executive Capital to Visakhapatnam. Ex MLA Bonda Uma said that because of this, Jagan Circar totally fell silent and meekly surrendered to the Navy threats to avoid future confrontation with the Central Government. The Navy objection gave an unexpected blow to CM Jagan 3 Capitals plan. Uma said that Jagan Circar had released crores of funds to shift AP Secretariat to Millennium Towers in Vizag but now all that turned a waste. Navy wrote a letter to AP to stop shifting Secretariat into Millennium Towers for the security of defence installations nearby.

From the beginning, questions were asked whether the Navy would allow Vizag to become the seat of AP administration because that would endanger the sensitive defence and Navy property there. But, CM Jagan blindly went ahead and even began efforts to prepare facilities to run administration from the port city.

The latest Navy negative response has created a tricky situation. Political circles are speculating whether Jagan will lobby again with Modi-Shah or whether he will make alternative plans.