BJP uses electricity bills, Kejriwal’s strength against him

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Arvind Kejriwal may have come to power riding on his popular free electricity scheme in Delhi up to 200 units, but it is the electricity bills now that the BJP is using it against him.

BJP’s Delhi unit Chief Adesh Gupta has written to Kejriwal seeking time to discuss “grievances of entrepreneurs, traders, school-hospitals, religious places and fellow citizens, who are troubled by the huge electricity bills due to fixed and other charges”.

The BJP leader has written that he has received complaints from many quarters about fixed charges, average billing on electricity bills that are inflated.

“Delhi’s businesses and markets are shut since March. But due to fixed charge and steep commercial rates and taxes, they are getting charged steeply. For those who were forced to stay at home due to the lockdown have also received high electricity bills. Due to higher bills, they are not being able to avail their subsidies,” Gupta has complained in his letter.

Reminding that it is the “duty” of the government to pay heed to the problems of the people, which the BJP Delhi president claimed Kejriwal has ignored. He also cited example of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana — both BJP ruled states, which have extended benefits to people for their electricity bills during the lockdown.

Gupta said that it will oppose the policies of a government that came to power on the promise of “Pani maaf aur bijli half” (No water taxes and half electricity bills) promise.

In run up to the Delhi Polls, this January Kejriwal tweeted a testimonial saying, “This morning a man from a village in UP came to meet me. He said, ‘We get electricity bills in our village but no electricity. Delhi gets electricity for 24 hours but not bills'”.

Electricity and water were twin big promises of the AAP that defeated the BJP and the Congress in the national capital, this assembly election.

But now, the BJP sensing rising unhappiness among the business community in particular over steep electricity bills during the lockdown even when their units were shut down, the party is using the same issue against the Delhi CM that brought him into power.

–IANS

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