Cong took funds from firms running thermal plants: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused the ruling Congress of not scrapping the faulty power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed with private companies during the previous SAD-BJP government as it had received funds from them for the party

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused the ruling Congress of not scrapping the faulty power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed with private companies during the previous SAD-BJP government as it had received funds from them for the party.

Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann. (HT Photo)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann claimed that the Congress had taken ₹15.35 crore as party fund from the three private companies running power plants in the state. “This is the reason why the Congress has not cancelled power purchase deals,” he alleged at a press conference here. He also accused the Akali leaders of having financial stakes in power projects.

Taking a dig at Congress leader and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s tweets on the controversial PPAs, the AAP leader asked him to put out a post on Twitter on the funds received by the Congress party from power companies. “He (Sidhu) has been tweeting a lot. Let’s see if he puts out a tweet on this or not,” he said.

On the Delhi government’s petition in the Supreme Court seeking closure of thermal power plants causing air pollution, Mann said the AAP had moved the court, seeking upgrade of thermal power plants. “The guidelines in the plan of the central government for private power plants are clear on this, but the previous SAD-BJP government while signing agreements with power companies did not include these guidelines. It is necessary to upgrade the power plants to curb air and water pollution,” he said.