AAP MLAs seek discussion in Assembly over power cuts in Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) AAP MLAs on Tuesday submitted notices to the Delhi Assembly secretary, requesting a discussion on the alleged power cuts affecting several areas in the city.

AAP legislators Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar wrote separate letters to the Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood, highlighting prolonged outages and urging the government to address the issue.

Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha called attention to a power outage in Jagatpur village in his assembly constituency on March 28, affecting households, businesses, and essential services.

"Despite complaints, no immediate resolution was provided. I urge the Minister of Power to provide a detailed explanation and outline immediate steps to prevent such occurrences in the future," Jha wrote, invoking Rule 54 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly.

Meanwhile, MLA Kuldeep Kumar called for an adjournment motion under Rule 59 to discuss the issue in the Assembly.

"These outages have caused severe inconvenience to residents, disrupted businesses, and hampered essential services. The situation demands immediate attention and a thorough response from the government," Kumar stated.  The power supply issue has sparked a political row between the AAP and the ruling BJP. AAP leaders have accused the BJP of failing to manage electricity distribution after assuming power in February.

  Senior AAP leader and former Delhi chief minister Atishi on Monday blamed the BJP-led administration for the outages, alleging mismanagement.

"How is it that in 10 years, there were no outages, but within a month of BJP rule, power cuts are back? This means only one thing: the BJP doesn't know how to run the government. They neither have the intention nor the capability to serve the people of Delhi," Atishi said.

Responding to the allegations, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva refuted the claims, stating that uninterrupted power supply is a basic duty of any government and accused the AAP of corruption in managing the power sector.

"BJP-ruled cities like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Bangalore have uninterrupted electricity supply. Even Uttar Pradesh, once known for poor electricity management, now has a stable power supply. Providing 24-hour electricity is a government's duty, not a favour," Sachdeva asserted.

Former chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also reacted to the issue on Friday, criticising the BJP in a social media post.

"We had set up the power system in Delhi with great difficulty, working hard to ensure uninterrupted supply. There were no power cuts for 10 years.

"In just over a month, they have ruined the system," Kejriwal wrote on X.

The first budget session of Delhi's eighth legislative assembly is currently underway. The BJP won 48 out of 70 seats in the February elections, ending AAP's decade-long rule and marking its return to power in the national capital after 27 years. PTI MHS AMJ AMJ AMJ

Source: PTI