KADAPA: All the Telugu Desam Party MPs visited fasting MP CM Ramesh and extended their solidarity with him here on Friday.The MPs included Murali Mohan, Galla Jayadev, Kesineni Srinivas, Maganti Babu, JC Diwakar Reddy, Nimmala Kristapppa, Avanthi Srinivas and Butta Renuka, former Union minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister P Narayana. Ramesh’s fast demanding that the Centre set up a steel plant in Kadapa district, entered the third day on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Jayadev said that if the TDP won all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would play a crucial role at the Centre and would be in a position to get all the benefits due to AP.
The State government had offered to provide water, land, electricity, iron ore and railway line, but the Centre did not show any interest in establishing a steel plant in the district, he said. The Centre deceived the State by not enclosing the latest report with the affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court.Former Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that the BJP assured that it would implement the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 provisions and that was why the TDP had an alliance with the party. He described the resignation of YSR Congress MPs as nothing but a drama.
Avanthi Srinivas recalled that Visakhapatnam steel plant was sanctioned after a massive agitation and underlined the need for such agitation for Kadapa steel plant as well.Another TDP MP Butta Renuka called upon people to intensify agitation. APSRTC Chairman Varla Ramaiah predicted that YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy would go to Rajahmundry central prison in corruption cases. If ED proved corruption charges, he would be lodged in Tihar jail, he said. A large number of TDP activists came to the venue from Pulivendula and Kamalapuram Assembly constituencies.
Meanwhile, responding to criticism from the TDP MPs, BJYM State president Vishnuvardhan Reddy said that Ramesh was on a luxurious fast worth `5 crore. He alleged that the TDP had spent `25 lakh to bring people from each constituency to the meeting venue. He said that the BJP leaders were waiting for the foundation stone date for the steel factory. The BJYM leader criticised opposition parties for calling for Kadapa district bandh on June 29. BJP senior leader K Rajamohan Reddy and BJYM national executive member N Ramesh Naidu described Ramesh’s indefinite fast as politically motivated.