Hitting out at the central government, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has asked why the Centre is stepping back on its promise to set up a steel plant in Kadapa district, while it was spending Rs 1 lakh crores on the bullet train project, and has even taken a loan at a lower interest rate.
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 decided to protest against this statement by the Centre.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu has instructed his party cadres to conduct state-wide bike rallies on Tuesday, demanding that the Centre start the construction of the steel plant in Kadapa.
In a bid to pressurise the central government, the TDP has called for dharnas across the state for three days starting Tuesday.
Further, Naidu also asked his MPs to hold a protest in New Delhi on June 28.
In a statement, Chandrababu Naidu expressed his anguish over Centre's 'negligence' and claimed that the state had received no respite despite several letters to the government.
"We have written several letters to the centre, raised the issue in the Parliament, met the Prime Minister and Union Ministers and made representations about setting up an integrated steel plant in Kadapa. Yet, the BJP leaders at the Centre are adamant," he said.
Chandrababu held a teleconference in the wake of TDP MP CM Ramesh's indefinite fast over the steel plant reaching its sixth day.
Naidu said that although MECON had given a report in favour of the plant at Kadapa, the Union government has filed a counter affidavit against the plant in the Supreme Court.
"We have agreed to give everything including reserving mineral resources, connectivity, power, water and other incentives that the task force asked in six meetings. The Centre is delaying it and showing the negligence only to benefit Gali Janardhan Reddy and Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy," Chandrababu Naidu said.
He alleged that YSR Congress and Jana Sena have colluded with BJP and hence were remaining silent on the issue.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh – YSRCP, the Left and Jana Sena Party- all excluding the BJP – have called for a Kadapa district bandh on June 29 to protest against the Centre’s refusal to establish a steel plant in the district.
TDP had pulled out from BJP led NDA alliance following the Union Budget session this March alleging that the Centre had not fulfilled promises made during bifurcation, including granting Special Category Status to the state.
According to provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act 2014 Act, the steel Authority of India (SAIL) had to form a committee and check the feasibility of setting up a steel plant in Kadapa district within six months of formation of the committee.