Congress and BJP protest against power tariff hike

New Delhi: The BJP and the Congress held separate protests here on Tuesday against the AAP government in Delhi over a hike in power tariffs in the national Capital. Power consumers in Delhi with monthly usage of over 200 units will have to pay more after an

8 per cent hike in the power purchase adjustment cost. Delhi BJP legislators held a sit-in

near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in the Civil Lines area, while Congress leaders and workers protested outside the AAP’s office in

central Delhi.

They alleged that the city government has “failed to fulfil its promise” of providing free electricity to consumers.

Power tariff has been increased three times from what it was before 2014, said Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who led the BJP protest. The BJP will continue to protest unless the PPAC hike is reversed by the Kejriwal government, Bidhuri said. Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary alleged that the power tariff hike will increase the prices of all essential commodities and will impact the poor the most.

“Kejriwal had come to power with the support of the poor and the middle class, promising them a corruption-free government, but the power hike through the PPAC hike is clear proof of his corruption,” he alleged.