Visakhapatnam, February 6: TDP leader G Srinivasa Rao on Saturday said he has resigned as an MLA from the Andhra Pradesh assembly in protest against the Centre's decision to privatise Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) steel plant here. Srinivasa Rao, who represents the north assembly constituency in Visakhapatnam, said the resignation letter was sent to the Speaker.

Meanwhile, all trade unions affiliated to the steel plant and civil societiescontinued their stir against thecentralgovernment's move toprivatise the steel plant, one of the oldest here, for the secondday.

The Union Cabinet has cleared the privatisation of steel-maker RINL, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey tweeted on February 3. The RINL strategic sale proceeds would be part of the disinvestment target for next fiscal. The government has budgeted Rs 1.75 lakh crore from disinvestment in 2021-22 fiscal beginning April 1.