AAP, BJP spar over ‘power outages’ in Delhi

A war of words broke out between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thurdsay over power outages in Delhi.

Caretaker Chief Minister Atishi said the “power sector has collapsed” in just three days after the BJP won the Delhi poll. She claimed that people from across the city have been reporting severe power outages in the last three days. “For the past three days, different parts of Delhi have been experiencing prolonged power cuts. There are numerous complaints reported via social media,” Ms. Atishi said.

This comes a day after AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged that infighting within the BJP over the selection of Delhi’s Chief Minister is causing hardships for the people.

Dismissing Ms. Atishi’s allegations. the BJP claimed that the outgoing Chief Minister and the power discoms have colluded to create roadblock in “fixing minor breakdowns”. 

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the AAP government, in collusion with power discoms, exploited the people. “We have exposed the exploitation of electricity consumers through Power Purchase Adjustment Charges (PPAC) and other charges. Now, with the BJP government set to take over, the caretaker Chief Minister is conspiring and using fear tactics to force discoms into cooperating with her,” he said, adding the BJP government will initiate a probe against the power discoms if they “collude with Atishi to enforce power cuts”.