Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said the erstwhile SAD-BJP government had made Punjab a power surplus state, but chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh pushed it back into darkness.
His remarks came a day after Amarinder said his government would soon announce a legal strategy to counter the “ill-conceived” power purchase agreements signed during the SAD-BJP rule which had put an “atrociously unnecessary” financial burden on the state.
He said of the 139 power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed during the SAD-BJP rule, 17 were enough to cater to the state’s full electricity demand. The remaining 122 PPAs for 1,314 MWs of expensive power were inexplicably signed.
Attacking Amarinder, Sukhbir tweeted: “@capt_amarinder Re your new rant on SAD govt’s power agreements, 4.5 yrs is a long time to scrap any agreement. Who stopped/stops you? Do anything but save Punjabis from long unbearable power cuts & bills. But it seems U want to be remembered for “BIJLEE MEHANGI, BIJLEE GULL.”
“Those who plunged Punjab into darkness are blaming power cuts on those who made the state power surplus. As PS (Parkash Singh) Badal took over in 2007, Punjab was used to 16 hrs daily cuts. He took 3 yrs to make it power surplus-exactly the time u have taken to push it back into darkness,” the SAD chief said in another tweet.
{{/usCountry}}“Those who plunged Punjab into darkness are blaming power cuts on those who made the state power surplus. As PS (Parkash Singh) Badal took over in 2007, Punjab was used to 16 hrs daily cuts. He took 3 yrs to make it power surplus-exactly the time u have taken to push it back into darkness,” the SAD chief said in another tweet.
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