Shinde defends Digvijay on power crisis

Power crisis is not just confined to MP, in Maharashtra also there is a deficit of 2500 MW. For setting up a power plant it requires three-four years time, said Mr Shinde.

Defending his counterpart Digvijay Singh on the issue of power crisis, Mahrashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday said Madhya Pradesh was not the only state which was facing such crisis, but there was a shortage of 2500 MW of power even in Maharashtra.

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"Power crisis is not just confined to MP, in Maharashtra also there is a deficit of 2500 MW. For setting up a power plant it requires three-four years time and MP government has taken steps to solve it," he told reporters here.

On reported apology by senior Congress leader Arjun Singh on the issue, Shinde said he was not informed about that.

About his assessment of Congress prospects in the assembly polls in the four states, Shinde said in 1992-93 when the BJP government led by Sunderlal Patwa was in power, at that time also he predicted a Congress victory. "Now also, the Congress would form government in the four-poll bound states," he added.

Addressing a party rally, deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Shivraj Patil alleged the union government of failing to produce 48,000 MW of power in the country as promised in the ninth five year plan.

He said centre was able to produce less than 20,000 MW of power, resulting in short supply to several states.