Visakhapatnam, Feb 27 (IANS): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram on Saturday alleged that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government is escaping from its responsibility in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) issue.
Pattabhi claimed that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a meeting with the representatives of South Korean steel giant Posco in 2019 itself and posed for photographs.
"On his part, YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy held discussions with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the VSP issue," he alleged.
Pattabhi visited the port city on Saturday and met with the people protesting the privatisation of the steel plant and claimed that there was no way for the ruling YSRCP leaders to wash their hands of the privatisation plan.
"The CM and his Ministers were terrified to accept responsibility for the steel plant sale after seeing the rising agitation and raging sentiment of the Andhra people," claimed the TDP spokesperson.
According to Pattabhi, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clearly stated in February 2020 that an agreement was signed with POSCO for privatisation.
"Standing committee on steel released its report in December, 2019 itself. The YSRCP government hid all these details from the AP public in order to deceive them," he claimed.
The TDP leader claimed that the Parliamentary standing committee on industry also gave a report in March, 2020 but YSRCP MP Avinash Reddy despite being a member of that committee did not allegedly raise his voice against VSP privatisation plan.
He lambasted Vijayasai Reddy for allegedly telling lies that he had no knowledge about the privatization plan.
Pattabhi claimed that it was shameful that the ruling party MPs were allegedly disowning responsibility over the sale of an industry which is a matter of pride to all Telugu people.
"The YSRCP deliberately hid details of the VSP privatisation threat from the public as they had personal benefits in this. Jagan and Vijay Sai Reddy were hurting the state with their secret deals," he claimed.
He claimed that YSRCP MPs have done historic injustice to the state with their alleged dubious role.
"It has become a routine for Jagan Reddy to destroy all the good work that Chandrababu Naidu has done," Pattabhi alleged.