Questions are being raised in Visakhapatnam over the continued absence of Ganta Srinivasa Rao from the Vizag Steel Plant agitation. The Vizag North MLA had submitted his resignation from the legislative assembly on the issue of the privatization of the steel plant. But, after submitting the resignation, which is yet to be accepted, he remained inaccessible.

On February 11 this year, he sent his resignation addressed to the speaker of the assembly while participating in the protest organized at Kurmannapalem in Vizag by the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Samiti. He also assured to participate in all the agitations organized by the Samiti. However, after submitting the resignation, which still remains unaccepted, he has not showed up at any agitation. He has largely kept to himself.

With the Central Government speeding up the process of privatization, there is a fresh agitation. The employees have been organizing rallies and protests. There are dharnas on a regular basis. The employees unions have recently toured Delhi, met the ministers and staged a two-day dharna at the Jantar Mantar. Ganta, who promised to be part of any agitation, did not join the protests. This has raised quite a few eyebrows about his real intentions. The union leaders feel that the resignation was a mere drama.

Sources said that Ganta had desperately tried to join the YSRCP, but Rajya Sabha MP Vijaysai Reddy has effectively scuttled his attempts. To bring pressure on the YSRCP, he announced his resignation. However, the YSRCP largely ignored him. Even the TDP did not make any effort to dissuade him from going to the YSRCP. Thus, he was neither here nor there. Since then, Ganta has kept to himself and is not being seen in public. Even Vizag Steel Plant issue seem to be failing to stir him into action.