HYDERABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly and YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Tuesday has thrown an open challenge to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, stating that if he proved that the figures presented by Naidu in the House with regard to Plant Load Factor (PLF) were wrong, would Naidu resign from his post.
Speaking on the proposed power tariff hike in the Assembly, Jagan dared Naidu to come for an open debate on the power tariff figures.
The YSRC chief further said, “Will you (Naidu) resign, if your calculations on the power tariff are proved wrong?”
Opposing the tariff hike, the YSRC chief said power charges were not hiked for about six years in YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s regime.
He further tried to corner Naidu by asking why there should be a hike when the Centre is giving additional power to AP.
Later, the YSRC members along with Jagan staged a walkout in the Assembly protesting against the power tariff hike.
Earlier, taking part in the discussion on the proposed power tariff hike, Jagan accused Naidu of presenting wrong facts about the PLF status during the last ten years.
“Naidu is misleading the House on PLF. If he has guts, let him accept my challenge and resign if I prove all his claims wrong,” he asserted.
Accusing Naidu of misleading people regarding power tariff hike, Jagan said though during YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure (2004-09) there was no hike even by a single rupee, Naidu is claiming that power tariff was hiked exorbitantly. “Naidu is spreading lies to defame YSR. Even noted rating company Crisil had rated AP AAA during the YSR tenure,” he said.
Opposing the proposed hike, Jagan said the State government was doing it without any valid reason or necessity. “During polls, Naidu said he would reduce the power tariff after coming to power. But, now he is breaking his promise’.
Accusing Naidu of adopting double standards, Jagan said, “The Kiran Kumar Reddy government had hiked the tariff, but why did the TDP save Kiran’s government at that time?”
“Why the State government is increasing the tariff when the coal prices have come down from $102 to $60 in the international market? Why should there be a hike when the Centre is giving additional power of 304 MW to the State,” he questioned.
He said the power tariff in AP was already more than neighbouring states and would burden the common man further if the proposed hike was brought into force.