With the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled to take place later this year, the war of words over power tariffs is raging in the national capital.
Addressing a rally at Chattarpur on Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said people who cannot afford high power tariffs should limit their electricity consumption.
Taking on the Opposition, Dikshit pointed out that the residents of the national capital had round the clock power supply. And she said that people would have to pay if they wanted uninterrupted power supply.
The Chief Minister advised the people to cut down on the use of electrical appliances like television, and use fans instead of air cooler if they felt that their power tariffs were high.
According to Dikshit, the national capital used to have seven to eight hour power cuts over a decade ago. But things had vastly improved, of late.
Following the Chief Minister’s speech on Sunday, BJP Delhi unit chief Vijay Goel said in a statement that Dikshit should inform the people how many air-conditioners, bulbs, televisions, fans and fridges she had at her residence. She should also tell how much public money is being used to foot her electricity bills every month.
Over the past one year, the BJP has been attacking Dikshit on the issue of power tariffs, which was raised by 27 per cent in 2012 and by three per cent in 2013. And the Chief Minister was even accused of favouring the power distribution companies.