The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday accused the ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh of "playing a dubious role" and not putting pressure on the Centre to stall the ongoing privatisation of the Vizag steel plant.
"The steel plant should remain in government control, considering how Andhra people waged prolonged agitations and farmers gave away thousands of acres of their ancestral lands. Chief Minister Jagan Moharn Reddy regime is playing a dubious role in the whole privatisation plan," claimed TDP national General Secretary Nara Lokesh
The opposition leader claimed that the people of Visakhapatnam would chase away senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy due to his attempts to undermine the agitations on the issue.
"When plant employees and the people were rising up in massive protests, Sai was bold enough to say that he cannot give an assurance to the agitators but only get an appointment with the Prime Minister," the TDP supremo's son said.
Branding Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders as "fake", Lokesh alleged that they were issuing false statements to demotivate people.
According to the TDP leader, YSRCP candidates would lose their security deposits in the next Assembly elections if they failed to fight against the ongoing privatisation.
He said that the TDP would support the agitations to bring all possible pressure on the state and central governments.
Former TDP MLA from Gajuwaka, Palla Srinivasa Rao, has already begun a hunger strike against the plant's privatisation.
Lokesh claimed that the TDP had bagged 38 per cent of the seats in the first phase of the four-phased rural local bodies' elections, despite all-round attacks by YSRCP.
"The YSRCP tried to win the polls through threats, kidnappings, tearing of nomination papers etc due to fear of losing. The YSRCP leaders even sent WhatsApp messages to voters to threaten withdrawal of pensions and house site pattas if they did not vote for the YSRCP," he claimed.
Referring to TDP state President Kinjarapu Atchannaidu's arrest, Lokesh said that he was sent to jail even though he did not issue threats to rival candidate in Nimmada village. On the other hand, he alleged, Kannababu Raju who was aligned with YSRCP openly threatened an opposition candidate but was given station bail.
On Thursday, Lokesh visited Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple in Mangalagiri town and inaugurated a health camp of Lakshminarasimha goldsmiths welfare society.
He announced Rs 5 lakh financial support for the welfare of goldsmiths and promised them continuous TDP support.