Congress accuses BJP govt of multi-crore power scam

MYSURU: Congress on Friday accused the BJP government of indulging in corruption running into thousands of crores while purchasing power from private power generators. KPCC spokesperson M Lakshmana alleged that the BJP government has managed to swindle Rs 5,000 to 6,000 crore in the form of commission by paying higher prices to private firms when purchasing power.

Hitting out at the government for increasing power tariff five times in the last two years, he said the repeated revisions are to earn commissions illegally. The state has the capacity to generate 14,574 MW of power, while the demand is for 9,451 MW. Though, the state produces 6,708 MW and has the potential to step up power generation on its own to meet the shortage of 2,643 MW, the government is purchasing power from private companies, he said.

Lakshmana said the managing director of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd, V Poonuraju, wrote to Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar on February 14 asking the government to stop buying power from Adani and Udupi power companies as the state has the capacity to generate required power on its own. “While the central government is buying power at Rs 4.70 per unit, Karnataka is paying Rs 6.80 per unit, a difference of Rs 2. The BJP government gets a commission of Re 1 per unit and with the purchase of 87,483 million units, this scandal runs into Rs 5,000 to 6,000 crore,” he alleged. 

He said Congress will launch a campaign from Mysuru against BJP’s “commission politics” and accused the government of looting the state. He said the recent communal tension in the state has turned out to be a blessing for Tamil Nadu,  whose industries minister is inviting investors from Karnataka. He blamed BJP national general secretary CT Ravi for spreading hate in the state. On the rise in prices of essential commodities, he said Anna Hazare, who fought against Congress and helped AAP form government in Delhi, has been silent on the issue for the last eight years.