- Takes advantage of Centre’s decision to disinvest
- Ganta Joins band by resigning to MLA post
- Naidu becomes active on social media
Amarvati: When things appeared dim for TDP to enter Uttarandhra, Union government’s decision to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant gave oxygen to tbe party. TDP is vexed with problems within the party as leaders were quitting and joining either BJP or YCP post Assembly elections. There was no proper agenda also in their hands to fight against YCP in the State or programmes to unite tbe cadre. YSRCP is popular with the people with welfare schemes and three capitals formula in the name of decentralisation which left Naidu in a dilemma.
Chandrababu was silent when AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy challenged Naidu to say that he is against Visakhapatnam when decentralisation Bill was passed in AP assembly. But the decision of Union government on Steel Plant privatisation cane as a blessing in disguise for the TDP leaders as per sources. Ganta Srinivas Rao, MLA of Vizag north, is far from politics after TDP fared badly in Assembly elections in 2019. He changed his plans of joining BJP and YCP. In fact, he had many secret talks in Hyderabad with BJP leaders before he dropped his decision of joining the saffron party, as the latter did not accept his demands. After that he tried to join YCP, Minister Avanthi Srinivas, who is known as Ganta rival in politics, stopped him in his track. Ghanta is silent for a few months without nodding head to any political party and waiting for an opportunity to prove himself and his equation with the cadre. He closely observed the issue of Steel Plant gaining public sentiment with labour unions protesting against the move of the Centre. Ganta immediately grabbed the emotive issue and became active once again by submitting his resignation to speaker as MLA. He pushed the ball into the courts of the ruling party and opposition party by demanding resignation of the YCP and TDP MLAs. All of a sudden he projected himself as a leader without affiliation to any political party.On the other hand, TDP President Chandrababu Naidu came on twitter saying that YCP MPs should resign and keep pressure on the Centre, he also reminded the slogan “ Visakha Ukku-Andhrula Hakku’ in an emotional way.
Also Read: Ghanta Srinivas resigns in protest against Centre’s decision
The Greater Visakahapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) elections are due in a short period and with one shot killing two birds, Naidu played a trump card by pushing away the issue of three capitals for tbe time being and empowered his cadre with Steel plant issue. After a prolonged fight with 32 agitators becoming martyred and after the resignation of 70 MPs and MLAs, Visakha Steel Plant was set up which is giving oxygen to one lakh people with employment directly or indirectly.
