-Reversal of Naidu MoUs led to power crisis
-Current charges hike Jagan’s Ugadi kanuka
-Cheap solar and wind power deliberately sabotaged
-Open market purchase at high rates added to woes
AMARAVATI: TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh held a lantern demonstration here on Thursday to highlight the plight of poor households in the State following current charges hikes for seven times in the past three years of the YSRCP regime.
Lokesh arrived at the party office holding the lantern and accompanied by party leaders and cadres. They raised slogans against the YSRCP Government for its ulterior policies to make the poor poorer.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion, Lokesh slammed the CM for putting undue burden on the poor consumers by hiking Rs 1.40 per unit in 76 to 125 units category. Also, the middle classes were also punished by hiking Rs. 1.57 in 126 to 220 units category. Poor and middle income households were scared to turn on bulbs and fans this summer.
Nara Lokesh pointed out that the Chandrababu regime gave 24-hour quality power without any hike. All sections kept the fan, YCP symbol, whirring round the clock. Jagan Reddy reversed the situation by making people afraid to turn on fans for fear of high bills. People were making sarcastic comments that lanterns should be used in place of electric bulbs as long as Jagan Reddy would be in power.
Lokesh said there would have been no need to hike current charges had Jagan Reddy honoured the MoUs signed by Chandrababu Naidu with the power companies. If the solar and wind power companies were encouraged like in the TDP regime, it would have given positive results even to reduce power tariff by Re. 1 per unit by now.
The TDP MLC blamed Jagan Reddy for throwing the power sector into a serious crisis by purchasing in the open market at Rs. 9 to Rs. 10 per unit. In his swearing-in rhetoric, the CM vowed not to hike current charges and if possible he would reduce rates. But in just three years, he hiked charges for over 7 times and imposed a burden of Rs. 12,000 Cr in the name of true-up charges, dues and so on.
Lokesh said while Chandrababu Naidu gave different benefits as Sankranti, Ramzan and Christmas ‘kanukas’, Jagan Reddy had given a steep hike in current charges as ‘Ugadi kanuka’ this year. While the poor and middle class people were greatly worried about their miserable fate, Jagan Reddy was keeping himself happy in his Tadepalli palace.
Nara Lokesh accused the YCP of putting AP on top in fuel prices, garbage tax, toilet tax, illicit liquor and cheap liquor brands. Jagan Reddy was causing a lot of suffering to poor people for the sake of political vendetta. The YCP’s sole agenda was to harass opposition and target Chandrababu but not to solve people’s problems. Jagan would do a great service even if focused 5 percent attention on proper administration.
The TDP MLC demanded that the slabs in current bills should be taken back to what they were prior to 2019. It was a mistake that the then TDP regime didn’t effectively counter the misinformation campaign of Jagan Reddy on current charges at that time.
