CM Jagan's letter on Visakha Steel another betrayal, says Devineni Umamaheswara Rao

Amaravati: Former minister and senior TDP leader Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Sunday criticised Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for trying to create a 'false impression' that he had no prior knowledge of the privatisation of the Visakha Steel Plant.

Uma asked the Chief Minister to explain whether he truly did not have any information about the discussions started by different companies for taking over the steel plant in the past one-and-a-half-years. Afraid of his illegal assets cases only, Jagan has not opened his mouth for the past 20 months, he said.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said that the Chief Minister has been silent on Visakha Steel all these months but now he was writing letters to the Prime Minister following severe public resentment. The people will no longer believe in the statements of the ruling party leaders. After mortgaging the Special Category Status, the Chief Minister has now betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh in respect of the steel plant as well.

Uma demanded the that YSRCP's 28 MPs explain why they were unable to hold talks with the Prime Minister and the union ministers to stall the privatisation. The people of Andhra Pradesh achieved Vizag Steel after laying down several lives and waging a decade long agitation. The Chief Minister has no right or authority to give away the steel plant for fear of his 31 cases. The voters have decided to chase the YSRCP out of the State. The TDP leader slammed the ruling party leaders for misusing their power to ensure 'forced unanimous elections' which was going on indiscriminately all over the State.

The Ministers were using abusive language and threatening State Election Commissioner (SEC). The unprincipled ministers were only speaking aloud what was there in the mind of the Chief Minister.

Uma said that the YSRCP leaders, activists and volunteers were openly distributing cash and liquor in the elections. The police were only conniving with them and not taking any action despite complaints being made by the Opposition. The Governor was not taking any action against the minister who threatened to put election officials in blacklist, he said.