TDP MPs refuse to sign memo opposing privatisation of Vizag steel plant

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party Members of Parliament refusing to sign the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking withdrawal of the decision to privatise Visakhapatnamj steel plant, which came as a shock to the Opposition parties which were fighting the issue for over a year. The YSR Congress Party Rajya Sabha member […]

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party Members of Parliament refusing to sign the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking withdrawal of the decision to privatise Visakhapatnamj steel plant, which came as a shock to the Opposition parties which were fighting the issue for over a year.

The YSR Congress Party Rajya Sabha member V. Vijay Sai Reddy had requested the TDP MPs K. Rammohan Naidu, Kesineni Nani, Galla Jayadev, and K. Varaprasad to sign the memorandum but the latter refused to sign it although as many as 120 MPs of several opposition parties like the DMK, Trinamool Congress, CPI, Shivsena, IUML, RJD, BJD, CPM, NCP, NC, MIM, ALP, RSP, and KC (M) besides the YSRCP appended their signatures to it.

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The YSRCP which was criticised by the TDP on the steel plant issue all along saying that the former had not put adequate pressure on the Centre to revoke the decision of privatisation, took the TDP support for granted on the issue since public sentiment is involved in protection of the Vizag steel plant. However, with the TDP refusing to join the hands with it, the YSRCP leaders noted that TDP national president N. Chandrababu was not at all sincere in saving the steel plant.

In the memorandum submitted on March 31, the MPs said that cutting across all party lines, they had come with the request to reconsider the unfortunate decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) last year to disinvest the 100 per cent stake of the Centre –i.e., complete privatisation of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. (RINL)-Visakhapatnam steel plant.

They pointed out that the Centre had invested only Rs.4,900 crore on the plant but so far the company had paid Rs.45,000 crore to the Government of India in the form of taxes from the year 1993 and appealed to reconsider the decision keeping in mind the interests of the nation, employees of the plant and respecting the sentiments of Telugu speaking people.

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