Vizag steel plant rightful asset of Andhra Pradesh people, says TPCC leader

Telangana State Congress working president T. Jagga Reddy on Saturday said the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was the rightful asset of the people of Andhra Pradesh and carried a deep historical legacy.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress office Andhra Ratna Bhavan in Vijayawada, Mr. Jagga Reddy said the steel plant was the outcome of the Congress party’s efforts. Established with an investment of ₹14,000 crore, it provided employment to thousands and had grown in value to about ₹2.5 lakh crore, he said. He recalled that several leaders, including Venkaiah Naidu, had supported the plant and that the United Progressive Alliance government had safeguarded its interests. Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was keen on privatising the steel plant, he said there were attempts, driven by malicious intent, to hand it over to corporate firms.

After the division of Andhra Pradesh, the Congress lost political representation as people did not vote for the party, and the police machinery remained under government control, which, he alleged, prevented effective resistance, Mr. Jagga Reddy said. He found fault with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for, he claimed, doing nothing to save the steel plant despite their good relations with Mr. Modi.

He said the Congress, despite being aware that it would lose power in Andhra Pradesh, honoured its commitment by granting a separate Telangana State. Referring to party leader Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Jagga Reddy said he had promised that his first signature as Prime Minister would be on the file related to the steel plant, adding that the Gandhi family was known to honour its commitments.