The YSRCP hit out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday and alleged that he had always placed his personal interests ahead of state interests, accusing the TDP chief of stalling the Kadapa Steel plant earlier.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, YSRCP MLA G Srikanth Reddy said, "Of all the assurances given during the state's bifurcation, Naidu did not press for the Kadapa steel plant, as he felt that there could be no monetary gains for him. This is why he pushed for Special Category Status (SCS) and the Polavaram project, for kickbacks."
"After 13 long years, Chandrababu Naidu has been speaking of steel plant and blowing the trumpet with his bandwagon while he had opposed the very idea of setting up an industry in the arid region and made it known on numerous occasions in uncertain terms," the MLA added.
The YSRCP leader also pointed out that it was former Andhra CM Dr YS Rajsekhara Reddy, who wanted to set up the industry, but Naidu had taken up the steel plant demand as he had run out of other issues.
"The steel plant issue was first broached by YSR much earlier as he was a visionary. After winning the 2004 elections. YSR fought the elections against the grand alliance of which TDP was a part of, and won hands down, as he went to the polls on the plank of development," Srikanth Reddy said.
Earlier this week, eleven days after he began an indefinite fast, TDP MP CM Ramesh broke his hunger strike in the presence of Naidu in Kadapa.
Ramesh and MLC from Kadapa district, Ravi, went on the fast to back the ongoing demand by the state to set up a steel plant in the district. While Ravi's health deteriorated and he was shifted to a hospital, Ramesh continued his fast.
Last week, the district witnessed a total shutdown as protests and demonstrations were staged at several places, even as offices and educational institutes from schools to colleges remained closed.
The Centre recently withdrew its decision to establish the steel plant claiming that the project was financially unviable. The TDP and other parties in Andhra Pradesh have since been protesting against the central government's stand.