The agitation against the Visakha Steel privatisation is fast reaching the next level. Former Minister and MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao has resigned from his MLA post in protest against the privatisation of the Visakha Steel Plant. He has announced that he will form a Joint Action Committee for all political parties to fight against the privatisation move. Ganta’s politically strategic move has created a sensation in North Andhra.

For quite some time, Ganta has been inactive in the TDP. There were rumours of his becoming close to the YCP. But, he has not taken the final plunge till now. He has also kept his future political moves a closely guarded secret. Now, all of a sudden, Ganta has become active, probably unwilling to sit silent when an emotive issue like the Visakha Steel agitation is fasting taking a full shape.
Not stopping at that, Ganta has issued a big challenge to all parties. He has demanded all the MLAs and the MPs of all parties in Andhra to resign to express solidarity for the steel plant agitation.

Ganta has proved himself as a very shrewd politician by bringing pressure on all the parties with equal emphasis. By doing so, he has successfully projected himself as an MLA who is still unattached to any political party. He is obviously keeping a safe distance from both the YCP and the TDP.