Cong takes out lantern rally to protest power charges

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief YS Sharmila Reddy along with the party cadre took out a lantern rally here on Thursday, protesting against the steep rise in electricity tariff under the current NDA coalition government.

The rally, which began at the APCC office and ended at Indira Gandhi Circle at Challapalli Bungalow junction on Eluru road saw Sharmila holding a lantern to symbolise the hardships faced by the people due to the rising electricity charges.

Addressing the gathering, she accused the state government of imposing an unfair burden on the people under the guise of “adjustment charges,” which have led to a 40 per cent hike in electricity prices. “People are now forced to live in darkness. They will need to buy lanterns just to manage their daily lives. The situation is unbearable,” she said.

Referring to the historical context, Sharmila stated that under the YSRCP rule, the previous government collected a staggering Rs 35,000 crore from the people of Andhra Pradesh, with no visible improvements in power infrastructure. “Now, the coalition government is also following the same policies, which only further burden the common man. A total of Rs 17,000 crore has already been imposed on the people,” she added.

The APCC chief highlighted the similarity between the policies of the YSRCP and the current coalition government. She further said, “There is no difference between the two.”

“What justice is there for the people when both governments follow the same exploitative approach,” she questioned.

Comparing power charges in different states, she noted that while the cost of a unit in Telangana stands at Rs 4.80, in Andhra Pradesh it has reached Rs 6. Furthermore, the additional ‘adjustment charges’ are exacerbating the financial strain on consumers.

Congress leaders Mastan Vali, N Narasimha Rao, Allam Rajesh and others participated in the rally.