VIJAYAWADA: On a day when the Centre filed an affidavit in the Apex Court mentioning that setting up of steel plant in Kadapa district is not feasible, the TDP leaders attacked the Union Government saying that it vindicated the anti-AP stand of the NDA regime. Meanwhile, TDP Rajya Sabha MP CM Ramesh has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike for securing steel plant in Kadapa district.
Speaking to the media in New Delhi on Wednesday, Ramesh said that he had already sought the appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi either on June 17 or 18 to explain the necessity for setting up steel plant in Kadapa district. “In case there is no positive response from the PM, I will observe fast-unto-death in Kadapa district by the end of June,” he said.
Making it clear that he has no political intentions and is keen on achieving the steel plant to the district as it will ensure development besides generating employment to the youth, he said all political parties were welcome to participate in the protest.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, who is the in-charge minister of Kadapa district, alleged that the Centre has once again betrayed AP. “It is all proving that the Centre is going vindictive towards the State,” he charged. Stating that Mecon submitted a feasible report favouring setting up of a steel plant in Kadapa, he said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his willingness for the development of infrastructure, to bear 50 per cent of expenditure on railway line and spend another `200 crore as share of the State government for the steel plant. “But, the Centre has shown an empty hand at the last moment,” he said.
Industries Minister N Amarnath Reddy said that the Centre went back from the promise of setting up steel plant in Kadapa to defame the Chief Minister and the TDP government. “Despite Andhra Pradesh having vast iron ore reserves and Mecon mentioning the same, the Centre is doing injustice to the State by submitting an affidavit mentioning false information,” he said.
He also came down heavily on the State BJP leaders and sought to know how could the saffron party leaders come up with Rayalaseema declaration after failing to secure steel factory to Kadapa district.
Move to defame CM: Minister
Industries Minister N Amarnath Reddy said that the Centre went back from the promise of setting up steel plant in Kadapa to defame the Chief Minister and the TDP government. “Despite Andhra Pradesh having vast iron ore reserves and Mecon mentioning the same, the Centre is doing injustice to the State by submitting an affidavit mentioning false information,” Amarnath
Reddy said.