Vijayawada: Opposition parties including YSR Congress Party, CPI, CPM, Jana Sena, Congress and AAP have all made it clear that they will continue to fight until Kadapa steel plant is established. In an expression of their unity, the leaders of the parties held a round-table interaction along with NGOs here today.

Later speaking to press reporters, CPI state leader Ramakrishna said that the steel plant was not an issue concerning Rayalaseema alone, but the entire state. He recalled that during the bifurcation of the state, a special package for the development of Rayalaseema and Kadapa steel plant was promised. These promises have to be fulfilled at any cost, he commented. "Please do not make the steel plant a political issue and try to take mileage out of it. Kadapa steel plant was mentioned in Schedule 13. The people of the state have been cheated by central and state governments. Now the TDP was staging yet another political drama on this issue," he said.

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The CPI leader said that BJP leaders were not aware of the promises that were made during bifurcation. This was the reason why they maintained that 80 per cent of the promises had been fulfilled by central government. He challenged the BJP leaders for a television debate on this issue. He said his party would support the Kadapa bandh call on June 29 and added that their workers would participate in the bandh. He called upon the students to participate in the fight against the state government for establishing a steel plant.

Adding to these words, CPM state leader Ch Babu Rao said that the fight against the government would continue until Kadapa steel plant, Visakha Railway Zone and special package for North Andhra are achieved. He added that his party would extend full support to the Kadapa bandh call. It was time to teach BJP and TDP lessons and throw them out of power, he said.

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Kadapa district CPI secretary Eshwaraiah recalled the sacrifices that were made during the fight for Visakha steel and said that 38 students had given up their lives for the cause of the steel plant in Vizag. Similarly, even today students and people are prepared to go to any extreme for the sake of the Kadapa steel plant. TDP leaders should stop doing protests fasts in the state, and should stage their demonstrations in Delhi, he added.