Nagpur: Opposition parties are incensed over failure of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s decision not to reduce power bills of domestic consumers during the lockdown months. The parties have charged the government with fooling common people through false promises.
BJP general secretary and former energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has threatened to stage agitations across the state over the government’s failure to reduce power bills. “It is due to internal differences between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, the consumers are suffering. The energy minister belongs to Congress and hence the other two parties have blocked his proposal,” he said.
“Raut is saying that power companies are reeling under huge debt. However, money for the bill waiver was to be provided by the state government and not these companies. The government could have easily sanctioned the required amount,” said Bawankule.
“We had demanded waiver up to 300 units. The government did not agree. It promised waiver up to 100 units, but even this is not being provided to people,” he further said.
City BJP president and MLC Pravin Datke said this (MVA) government was formed to exploit poor people. “Many farmers are yet to get loan waiver. They are being told that they will get money for soyabean they sold in January. I have doubts whether government employees, who died due to Covid, will get any compensation. If MSEDCL or its contractors try to disconnect anybody’s connection, BJP workers will physically prevent them from doing so. Bawankule was also energy minister. Look at the difference between him and Raut,” he added.
Pratap Goswami, organization secretary of AAP, said people are yet to get over the economic losses caused due to Covid lockdown. “Financial equations of lower and middle class are yet to return to normal. Shiv Sena had promised power bill waiver in its election manifesto. If they don’t want to listen to us, let them fulfil their own promise,” he added.
“This government is anti-poor and anti-middle class. There is no difference between this government and the previous one. Even otherwise, Shiv Sena is a common factor in the two governments,” said Goswami.