MP Power Crisis: Patwari Slams Govt Over Village Outages
MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari alleges severe power outages in villages, while CM Mohan Yadav promises normalcy within 48 hours.
A fierce political standoff has erupted in Madhya Pradesh as the Congress party accused the state government of failing to provide basic electricity to its citizens. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Thursday alleged a widespread power crisis, claiming that several villages have been plunged into darkness for three to four consecutive days.
Patwari Targets Scindia and State Leadership
The Congress leader launched a scathing attack on the state administration, highlighting the stark disparity in electricity billing. In a direct jab at Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Patwari claimed that the electricity bill for Scindia’s palace was lower than the bills being issued to poor households in rural areas. He noted that while poor families are being charged thousands of rupees, their homes remain without power.
Patwari further criticized the state's management, questioning the accountability of the Electricity Minister. "The Electricity Minister has been missing for the last five months, and people are looking for him with photographs," Patwari alleged, adding that the mismanagement has left the state in darkness under the guise of load shedding and wire repairs.
Contradicting Surplus Claims
The Congress president challenged the government's narrative of having an excess power supply. He questioned why, if the state has surplus electricity and generates it at a low cost, rural areas are still suffering. "The state sells electricity to the metro in Delhi, but why are villages here in darkness?" he asked, urging Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to stop misleading the public and fix the supply system.
CM Yadav Promises Normalcy Within 48 Hours
Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav acknowledged the rise in electricity demand. He attributed the current situation to shifting rainfall patterns and delays in paddy transplantation across various regions, which has spiked the state's energy requirements.
To mitigate the crisis, the Chief Minister stated that the government has taken proactive steps to secure additional power. "We are receiving 800 MW of electricity from the Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat. We have also procured some additional electricity from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to try to control the situation here," Yadav said.
The Chief Minister assured the public that the current instability is temporary, stating that the electricity supply situation is expected to normalise within a day or two.