Pawan’s 10 AM to 5 PM Deeksha For Vizag Steel Plant, Any Use?

Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan would stage hunger strike on December 12 in solidarity with the staff protesting privatization of the Vizag Steel Plant for more than 300 days. The Jana Sena leader would sit on Deeksha from 10 am to 5 pm at the party office in Mangalagiri, lending moral support to the agitators, including VSP evacuees.

Party political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar, PAC members, party executive members, party district presidents and others would also take part in the Deeksha.

Earlier, the Jana Sena chief set a deadline for the YCP government to lead an all-party to Delhi to represent the same issue. At a public meeting held amid much fanfare on the premises of the steel plant, he made a demand that the state government should be more committed in saving the VSP but no authorities seem to have taken his words into account, pointed out political observers.

Surprisingly, even Pawan himself forgot to remind the state government about the deadline he set for the all-party to Delhi, they reminded.

It has been the same when Pawan rushed to Delhi soon after the announcement on privatization was made and tried to emphasize that the steel plant was not just a factory but that it had sentimental connect with the people in the state as it took shape following sacrifices of several lives. He spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue but there has been no response from the central authorities, even when his party is in coalition with the BJP.

His political rivals said that the protests by the Jana Sena boss appear to be just like political stunts which he enacts whenever he finds some leisure amidst his shootings. He lacks the political acumen and appears in the public only intermittently.

He tries to prove that he is with the public, fighting for their rights and against injustice. His meetings are a big draw given the huge fan base he enjoys in the state. However, his words carry less weight when it comes to making political decisions, they felt.

Political analysts expressed doubt if Pawan’s latest stunt would really force the authorities to withdraw their decision on VSP.