Congress MP rebuts BRS claims on power tariffs and farm supply

Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy has pushed back against the BRS over its claims on electricity tariffs and agricultural power supply, alleging that the opposition party was dispatching teams of leaders to power stations to manufacture a political controversy at a time when supply was running smoothly.

The Bhuvanagiri MP took issue with BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao's contention that former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had fought for lower power tariffs. Recalling the 2000 Basheerbagh firing incident, he noted that Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao was then in the Telugu Desam Party, and said the latter left the TDP in 2001 after differences over the positions offered to him.

Mr. Reddy asserted that the Congress was the first to champion free power for agriculture. He alleged that the DISCOMs ran up debts of about ₹81,000 crore during the BRS government's tenure.

The MP also questioned the decision to buy 1,000 MW of power from Chhattisgarh, alleging irregularities in the agreement even though electricity was available from other States at potentially lower prices.

Turning to thermal projects, he alleged that the Bhadradri plant suffered losses of roughly ₹1,000 crore because subcritical technology was used instead of supercritical technology. He further alleged that the Yadadri thermal power project was awarded to BHEL through the nomination route without open bidding, and claimed that commissions were involved.