BSP demands roll back of power tariff hike in UP

Lucknow, June 3: Opposition

on June 2 demanded that the Akhilesh Yadav government immediately roll back power tariff hike in

, failing which Samajwadi Party (SP) would pay the price in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Senior Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders Swami Prasad Maurya and Naseemuddin Siddiqui told reporters that in its election manifesto for the state polls, SP had promised free electricity for farmers.

The SP government, however, had aslo hiked the power tariff for rural areas and tubewells, which would hit the farmers, they said.

The BSP leaders alleged that the government was "misleading" the people on the issue. The state government has passed the responsibility on UP Electricity Regulatory Commission, whereas its consultant and that of the UP Power Corporation were same, Maurya alleged.

On Akhilesh Yadav's claim that BSP government purchased power on a credit of Rs 25,000 crore, Maurya said the SP in a period of a year has brought power worth Rs 11,000 crore on credit.

Meanwhile, Siddiqui challenged the validity of the Lokayukta report against him. Siddiqui said that bill regarding extending tenure of the Lokayukta was not passed by the UP Assembly and a petition was pending in the Supreme Court.

On May 20, Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta had said public money worth Rs 1,400 crore was siphoned off in construction of memorials during BSP regime and indicted 199 people including former minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui.

PTI