Power crisis: AAP workers protest outside Amarinder Singh's residence, water cannons used

Chandigarh, July 03: Water cannons were used by police to disperse Aam Aadmi Party workers, on their way to "gherao" the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at Siswan, in the wake of frequent power crisis in the state.

The protest by AAP comes days after the party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal promised free electricity up to 300 units and round the clock power supply in Punjab should AAP win the assembly elections next year.

The protesting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, led by its Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann, shouted slogans against the Congress government over the power shortage.

Police personnel were deployed in strength and multi-layered barricades were put up on the road leading to the chief minister's farmhouse.

As scores of AAP workers carrying party flags forced their way through the first layer of barricades and reached the second, police used a water cannon to disperse them.

Punjab has been reeling under an unprecedented power shortage with urban and rural areas facing long hours of load shedding amid scorching heat.

The Punjab government had already ordered reduction in timings of state government offices and reduced power supply to high energy consuming industries.

The Amarinder Singh-led government has been under fire from the opposition for not being able to provide sufficient electricity to consumers, especially to paddy growers for sowing crop.

Earlier, AAP leaders slammed the Congress government for having "failed" to provide 24-hour power to people at cheaper rates.