Chandrababu’s betrayal of VSP exposed again

Tadepalli, 18 November:Former Minister Vidadala Rajini has criticised CM Chandrababu Naidu colluding with the Union Government to push Visakha Steel Plant (VSP) towards privatisation. Speaking at the YSRCP Central Office, she said Chandrababu’s “white elephant” remark at the CII Summit is not a casual comment but a clear signal of his intent to hand over the plant to private corporates. She condemned his statement blaming workers for losses, saying it arms the Centre with justification for privatisation and stands in complete contrast to the promises he made to workers before the elections.
Rajini asserted that for five years, despite not being part of the NDA, former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy successfully stalled privatisation. Jagan wrote directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, detailed alternative revival measures, and publicly declared at a massive Visakhapatnam meeting that VSP must remain a public-sector institution. She displayed these letters and evidence at the press meet, adding that the privatisation process resumed only after the TDP-led coalition came to power. She noted that 32 departments have already been privatised, salaries are pending, no recruitment is taking place, and thousands of families who gave land 40 years ago are still waiting for jobs. Nearly 20,000 permanent and contract employees, and lakhs of dependents, are now under direct threat.
Calling Chandrababu’s governance a “privatisation formula,” Rajini said he has repeatedly weakened public-sector institutions while gifting public resources to private entities. His “white elephant” comment deeply insulted VSP, a plant built with the sacrifices of 32 martyrs and the slogan “Visakha Ukku — Andhra Hakku.” She contrasted his pre-election plea—promising to stop privatisation—with his post-election shift blaming workers and portraying the plant as a burden.
Demanding sincerity, Rajini challenged Chandrababu to stand beside the Prime Minister and publicly declare that the Steel Plant will not be privatised. She affirmed that YSRCP will continue to fight alongside workers to protect VSP and urged the coalition government to immediately halt all moves that endanger the plant’s future.