Power discoms colluding with AAP for windfall gains: BJP

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, calling for an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the power distribution companies, or discoms. Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva, who led the delegation visiting the LG, accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of helping the discoms score undue financial gains. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP on the accusation.

"We have met the LG and demanded an inquiry into the role of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP government in providing windfall gains to the discoms in Delhi and seeking recovery of the Delhi government utilities with the power distribution companies," Sachdeva said.

"It is a strange irony that all three power discoms sell electricity at the same rates, purchase it at the same rates, and supply it through the same Transco network, yet one consistently makes a profit while the other two continue to operate at a loss," the BJP leader added.

He alleged that AAP leaders received kickbacks from the power companies and questioned why the Kejriwal-led government did not revoke the licence of the private companies that have consistently reported losses.

"The silence of the AAP government over the retention of Regulatory assets and non-payment of Delhi Government Power Companies dues clearly indicates the possibility of connivance of the government and kickbacks going to the ruling party, he said.

Delhi BJP president in a statement said that discoms have been posting Regulatory Assets for the last 11 years alleging losses, which is a violation of the National Power Tariff Policy and yet the Delhi government has not cancelled their licence. Tariff guidelines say Regulatory Assets can be posted in the 'rarest of rare' circumstances as these are to be borne by the exchequer, he said. New Delhi BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj last week pointed out that the losses of the two discoms were categorised as regulatory assets, now exceeding Rs 21,000 crore. She criticised the private firm managing the discoms, suggesting that consistent financial losses signal mismanagement and potential collusion with the AAP government. Swaraj said that the Delhi government owes power generation companies Rs 26,638 crore due to delay in payments.