Solar Power Purchase: Conduct probe into charges against Jagan says PCC chief

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Y S Sharmila on Thursday staged an innovative protest near the ACB office holding a cage demanding the State government to release the ACB from the cage and let it continue the probe into the allegations leveled by the US agency that former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy received kickbacks of Rs 1,750 crore from the deal with Solar Energy Corporation of India to purchase the power.

Sharmila demanded that the probe should be conducted immediately on the allegation levelled against former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy. She said the Anti-Corruption Bureau is an independent government department but it is under the control of the State government.

She questioned why the NDA leaders in Andhra Pradesh were not ordering a probe on the allegations against the Jagan on the kickbacks that he allegedly received from industrialist Gautam Adani.

She recalled that the TDP had filed a petition in the AP High Court in 2021 demanding a probe on the agreement between the State government and SECI on power purchases.

Sharmila recalled that the current Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav leveled allegations in 2021 on the agreement and stated it was a scam.

Sharmila said the previous YSRCP government burdened the people of Andhra Pradesh thousands of crores by signing agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India and purchasing power at higher price.

The APCC president has questioned Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav why the State government is not ordering for a probe. Sharmila said neither the Finance Minister nor YS jagan suffered a loss due to the agreement.

She said the people of Andhra Pradesh were suffering due to the kickbacks and agreement by the State government to purchase power at a higher price.

Sharmila said Andhra Pradesh power consumers will face burden of Rs 1.5 lakh crore and demanded Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to immediately order for a probe on the allegations.

She said people have reposed faith on NDA and voted alliance parties to power. The NDA government should respond immediately to the allegations.