Sharmila urges TDP, JSP to mount pressure on Central govt. to revive Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

APCC president Y.S. Sharmila criticizes BJP government for neglecting Visakhapatnam Steel Plant privatization issue, demands funds for revival.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila slammed the BJP-led NDA coalition government at the Centre for its “indifference” towards the key issue of the proposed privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

Taking to the social media platform X, Ms. Sharmila alleged that denying funds for the plant was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ploy to debilitate the plant before handing it over to private parties. She said though Mr. Modi was leading a government which was dependent on the strength lent by the MPs of Andhra Pradesh for the third consecutive term, he remained indifferent to the needs of the State and its people.

Pointing to the fact that the steel plant faced serious financial distress, to an extent where the management had expressed its inability to even pay salaries to its employees, the APCC chief demanded that the Telugu Desam Party and the Jana Sena Party, which were part of the NDA government, bring pressure on the Centre to allocate adequate funds for revival of the plant to its full capacity.