BSY defends Shobha in power purchase, blames CM, DKS

Bengaluru: BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa defended former energy minister and present BJP Member of Parliament Shobha Karandlaje in power purchase controversy.

Addressing the press conference on Saturday, November 25, BSY demanded the state government’s clarification on why it was purchasing power at much higher rates when the Centre was willing to sell power at Rs 2.50 per unit. Yeddyurappa said the Energy Department was presently purchasing power from JSW Ltd at Rs 4.17 per unit and at Rs 4.71 per unit from Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL).

“When the Centre is ready to sell any quantum of power at Rs 2.50 per unit, why is the state government purchasing power at such higher costs? Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar should clarify on this matter. It is not Shobha Karandlaje who needs to be investigated, but Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar,” he said.

“Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had ensured the submission of the report to divert attention from the controversies surrounding the Congress government,” he said referring to the House committee report on irregularities in power purchases that was tabled in the recent Legislative Assembly.

The report has recommended appropriate action against Shobha Karandlaje for causing Rs 1,046-crore losses by favouring a private firm when she served as the Energy minister during the BJP regime.

Defending Karandlaje, Yeddyurappa said that the BJP government was forced to make short term purchases due to energy deficit between 2012 and 2013, as long-term purchases at Rs 3.81 per unit would have cost the exchequer more than Rs 30,000 crore over a period of 25 years.