Modi takes dig at Kejriwal over power pledge

The fact that the BJP is still smarting over its poll debacle was pretty apparent on Sunday when PM Narendra Modi took a veiled dig at AAP over its poll pledge to reduce power bills, Modi wondered how such promises could be made by political parties in states which are dependent on electricity supply from outside. “During every election, political parties promise free power...People need to think about these promises,” said Modi at a renewable energy conference here. The parties make these promises in such states who rely on electricity supply from other states, he added.

“Water accounts for a major chunk of the input cost of farmers. The cost of water is basically due to cost of power. We have to understand the problems farmers are facing,” said Modi.

AAP trounced the BJP in Delhi assembly polls. The party in its election manifesto had promised to cut electricity bills by half among other freebies. Delhi has a power demand of about 5,000 MW and is largely dependent on other states to meet its requirements. Reacting to Modi’s apparent dig at AAP, senior party leader and AAP’s Delhi Convenor Ashutosh urged the PM to help the state government to make power affordable. “I don’t want to make any adverse comment on the Prime Minister. I just want to make a request to him on behalf of the party that he should help us to make electricity affordable and cheaper because that will do a lot of good to the people of Delhi and I hope that he also wants good of people,” he said.