Nara Lokesh Visits Simhachalam Temple, holds meeting with party leaders

Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh paid a visit to the revered Varaha Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam early Thursday morning, where he offered prayers and received blessings from the chief priests and temple officials. Lokesh arrived at the temple at 6:30 am, participating in special pooja rituals conducted in the antaralaya of the deity. Afterward, he had darshan of Kappastambam Alingam Swami and was presented with Swami's Prasadam by Vedic scholars.

The minister was accompanied by Visakha MP Bharat and West Constituency MLA Ganababu during his temple visit. Following the religious ceremonies, Lokesh plans to meet with party leaders and workers at the party office at 9:00 am, with potential discussions with activists scheduled depending on time. In addition, he is expected to make unannounced visits to municipal schools in the city, although details regarding these visits have not been disclosed to the district education department.

On the previous evening, Minister Nara Lokesh held a significant meeting at the Raddison Blue Hotel in Rushikonda with public representatives from the joint district alliance, where the state of Visakha Steel Plant was a focal point of discussion. Participants expressed growing concerns over the deteriorating operational status of the steel plant, noting that various units are being closed and employees are facing decommissioning.

Lokesh emphasized the urgency of engaging with the central government to address these pressing issues. There were suggestions that merging the facility with the major steel producer SAIL could be a viable solution to stabilize operations. The minister highlighted the emotional significance of the steel plant to the people of Andhra Pradesh, underscoring the commitment of all stakeholders to advocate for its preservation and success.