Opposition Leader in Legislative Council and former Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, along with former Deputy Chief Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu and former Ministers Karumuri Nageswara Rao and Gudivada Amarnath, criticized both the central and state governments for their conspiracy to privatize the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and urged them to reconsider their stance on the steel plant’s privatization and demanded immediate action to protect jobs and ensure the welfare of workers.
Speaking to the Media in Vishakapatnam, Botsa Satyanarayana expressed concern over the termination of 3,725 contract workers at the Steel Plant, accusing the governments of systematically removing workers and canceling their employment cards. He warned that even if a single worker is dismissed, there will be strong protests. He urged the central government to protect workers’ jobs and called on the state government to apply pressure in this regard.
He emphasized that the developments at the Steel Plant appear to be part of a premeditated plan and reminded the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to stand by the promises they made before the elections regarding the steel plant Additionally, Botsa questioned the government’s focus on lowering the price of alcohol while ignoring the skyrocketing prices of essential goods. He asked why the government is prioritizing alcohol over essential supplies such as rice, pulses, oil, and vegetables.
In relation to the Lulu project in Visakhapatnam, Botsa clarified that the previous government had deliberately canceled the project, as it was not economically beneficial. He revealed that the Lulu Group had proposed to build a mall with an investment of Rs 600 crore on 13 acres of prime land valued at Rs 1,300 crore. As the deal did not seem profitable, the agreement was canceled. Instead, an IT tower was built in the nearby Inorbit Mall area, providing employment for 2,000 people.
