Indications are that the Modi Government is very serious about privatising the Visakha Steel Plant. This is part of the Centre’s plans to take forward its disinvestment strategies to boost the economy. The BJP AP leaders, who assured to take it up with Modi-
Shah, have fallen silent. BJP AP President Somu Veerraju, who raised his voice on Ramatheertham, is not taking an active part in the steel plant agitation.
Amid these concerns, the Opposition leaders are stressing the need for unity among all the political parties in AP in order to bring greater pressure on Modi. Today, YCP Minister Avanti Srinivas and TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao shared a common dais to express their solidarity to the steel plant agitation. They have asserted their respective personal commitments to stalling the privatisation.
Quickly responding to this, CPI National Secretary K Narayana has stressed the need for CM Jaganmohan Reddy and former CM Chandrababu Naidu to join hands to fight for the steel plant. Narayana told Avanti Srinivas and Ganta Srinivas that it was not enough for them to share the dais but they should use their good offices to bring Jagan and Naidu onto a common stage.
Doubtless to say, the AP parties and leaders are greatly worried that the Vizag steel agitation is going to be a prolonged one considering the overall political mood.
Not a chance.