‘BJP’s central leadership has already agreed to stop VSP privatisation’
The MP candidate says that if elected to power, the NDA will develop Anakapalli on the lines of Visakhapatnam and it will be called ‘Anakapatnam’; the party has plans to extend six-lane Vizag-Anakapalli road to Rajamahendravaram, he adds
hintakunta Munuswamy Ramesh popular as C.M. Ramesh, is the BJP MP candidate from Anakapalli. After much suspense over the seat-sharing agreement between the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance, the BJP has conrmed his candidacy. He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2012 and is currently a sitting MP. Mr. Ramesh was with the TDP for the last 30 years and moved to the BJP in 2019.
In a frank talk with Sumit Bhattacharjee of The Hindu, he spoke about his plan of action for developing it if elected. He also discussed the reasons behind
CC.M. Ramesh, BJP MP candidate from Anakapalli.
his condence in his victory in the General elections in 2024.
Why did you choose to contest from Anakapalli?
My rst choice was Visakhapatnam, but as per the seat-sharing agreement, all three alliance parties agreed upon Anakapalli. Even the BJP central leadership wanted me to contest
from Anakapalli as they have elaborate plans to develop this constituency.
Your opposition party is positioning you as a non-local candidate. How do you intend to counter this?
When it comes to the Parliamentary constituency, the electorate looks for candidates who can deliver by negotiating with the Ministry and ocials in New Delhi.
People of Anakapalli know that I am well connected in the Parliament. They know that I can deliver.
How do you intend to develop Anakapalli?
We want to encourage sugarcane cultivation and convert the produce to ethanol. The Union Government has already announced that 30% ethanol should be added to diesel. We also have plans to convert V. Madugula and Chodavaram to cluster and economic zones. We have plans to extend the Visakhapatnam-Anakapalli sixlane road to Rajamahendravaram and at least allot three Kendriya Vidyalayas to the constituency. Also, Anakapalli will soon be developed on the lines of Visakhapatnam
and it will be called ‘Anakapatnam’.
Since 2014, the image of BJP has taken a hit in the State. Its vote share of 4% in 2014 has shrunk to below 1% in 2019. How do you intend to revive the image and address the key issue of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) privatisation?
As far as VSP privatisation is concerned, I have already said earlier that the plan to privatise it has been stopped, and we are planning to strengthen the plant and bring it protability by merging it with SAIL.
The anti-sentiments of the proposed privatisation have been conveyed to the BJP central leadership, and they have already agreed to stop the privatisation.