*Visakhapatnam*: The central government has made a decisive move regarding the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, further advancing its privatization plans despite widespread political opposition and public protests in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The plant, which has long been a point of contention, is now closer to privatization, with the central government reaffirming its intent to sell it off entirely.Over the years, the central government has repeatedly expressed its intention to privatize the steel plant, ignoring demonstrations and agitations from political parties and unions across the state, including large-scale protests in Visakhapatnam. Despite these efforts to halt the privatization, the Cabinet Committee has now submitted a report that supports moving forward with the sale.In a key development, the government has decided that any subsidiaries or joint ventures linked to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant will also be reclaimed. Back in 2003, expression of interest bids for privatization were invited by the government, but the then Ex Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy successfully blocked the process, delaying privatization at the time.However, the political landscape has since changed. The state is now governed by the Telugu Desam-Janasena-BJP coalition, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. With the change in administration, the central government has accelerated its privatization efforts.Protests have erupted once again, with many recalling the promises made by Chief Minister Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who had assured the public that they would not allow the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant to be privatized. Critics are now pressing both leaders to respond to the latest developments.As part of the ongoing resistance, trade unions, including CITU, have organized large-scale demonstrations in Visakhapatnam, bringing traffic to a standstill in parts of the city. Protesters sat on roads in large numbers, causing significant disruptions. Despite police efforts to clear the roads, the protests continued for several hours.The central government’s push for privatization remains highly controversial, with opposition parties and trade unions decrying the move as detrimental to the state’s interests and the livelihoods of workers. The coming days are likely to see continued tensions as both sides stand firm on their positions.