Andhra Pradesh minister for HRD and IT, Nara Lokesh, has clarified that the State government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, will not permit the privatization of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Speaking at the CII Infrastructure Conference held at Novotel Visakhapatnam, Lokesh asserted that no discussions regarding privatization were underway and blamed the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for spreading false information on the matter. “The YSRCP is misleading the public by claiming that the steel plant is being privatized. He added that legal action would be taken against those who spread such baseless rumors. He further emphasized that, before the elections, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had clearly opposed privatization, reiterating the government’s commitment to the steel industry’s welfare.
Lokesh criticized the previous government for neglecting the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant by failing to provide necessary concessions and canceling mining operations. “Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been in dialogue with the Central government on this issue,” Lokesh stated, highlighting that recently, the Central government approved a grant of Rs 500 crore for the plant, the first in five years. TDP Andhra Pradesh President Palla Srinivasa Rao also confirmed that the party would firmly oppose any move towards privatization.
SIT Probe on Tirumala Laddu Controversy Addressing the ongoing Tirumala laddu controversy, Lokesh said the truth would emerge through the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. He took a dig at the YSRCP’s reluctance to fully engage in the investigation and questioned why Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had not called for a CBI investigation into his uncle’s murder if he was committed to transparency. “When I challenged YSRCP MP Y V Subba Reddy to swear on Tirumala laddu, he refused,” Lokesh said. He pointed out that ghee was procured at prices 40 percent lower than the market rate, which raised concerns about the quality. “The people’s sentiments are deeply hurt. This is not about politics; it’s about ensuring the truth comes out,” Lokesh concluded.