Andhra minister Botsa Satyanarayana criticizes TDP-BJP alliance over steel plant privatization

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 21 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh State Education Minister and senior YSRCP leader, Botsa Satyanarayana, questioned how Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP can forge an alliance with the BJP without demanding to stop the privatization of the steel plant.
"The TDP, BJP, and JSP alliance parties should reveal their stand on steel plants. Then they should ask for votes from the people of Andhra Pradesh. Chandrababu Naidu has an alliance with the BJP. How can he form an alliance with the BJP without demanding to stop the privatization of the steel plant? Chandrababu never wanted to care about North Andhra," he said while speaking to ANI on Saturday.
Jana Sena is contesting the general elections in alliance with the BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest six Lok Sabha seats and 10 assembly seats, while the TDP will contest 17 seats and 144 assembly seats. Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats.
He also said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is committed to the administrative capital of Visakhapatnam.
"Jagan Mohan Reddy is a man of integrity. He is committed to the administrative capital of Visakhapatnam. He already announced that he would take the oath from Visakhapatnam after winning the 2024 general elections. CM has always stood by his word and fulfilled all his promises despite facing all kinds of obstacles," Satyanarayana said.
He underlined that, apart from making Vizag the capital, the CM will improve all infrastructural facilities to make Vizag a hub of all activities. He emphasized that the city is endowed with all facilities, like an airport, a sea port, and highway connectivity.
The minister said work on the greenfield at Bhogapuram International Airport is going on. "In its first phase itself, the airport will handle a million passengers per year. Similarly, the residents of the North Andhra area have always wanted fishing landing centers, fishing harbors, and another port in Srikakulam. People think that this will increase the fishery resources, attract investments, and meet commercial needs. None of the previous governments paid attention to this," he said.
The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13, with the counting of votes set for June 4. The Andhra Pradesh Assembly consists of 175 seats, and a party would need at least 88 seats to form a government.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won with a majority of 102 seats. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP won 67 seats. The BJP could only win four seats by contesting against the two regional heavyweights.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats. (ANI)