Tamil Nadu polls: Goyal blames 'corrupt' DMK, AIADMK for losses in power sector

Chennai: Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday blamed “corrupt” DMK and AIADMK and their party-led governments for losses in the power sector in Tamil Nadu. “For the past so many years, Tamil Nadu has only seen corruption, corruption and corruption… there is a race to the bottom between the two, as if they are fighting for a certificate in corruption,” Goyal said while blaming DMK and AIADMK of ‘ruining’ the state in their respective rules. Highlighting statistics since 2008-09, when DMK was in power in Tamil Nadu, Goyal said state discoms had suffered a loss ranging between Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore in the subsequent years and alleged that both DMK and AIADMK governments were responsible for the losses accrued by power generation companies. On AIADMK’s poll promise of giving 100 units of free power to all, he said such “free power will be no power” in the future. [caption id=“attachment_2770990” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of Piyush Goyal.[/caption] Goyal, who had earlier created a flutter with his Chief Minister “Jayalalithaa is inaccesible” remarks, made similar allegations against DMK President M Karunanidhi, saying the two parties were run by “leaders who are disconnected” with people. “I have not met him (Karunanidhi) as he is not in government. But I suspect he will be as inaccessible (as Jayalalithaa). I will challenge anybody, the media; does anybody has the access either to Chief Minister or the opposition leader (Karunanidhi).” “Can you meet them? You can’t. I don’t think you can. Both these parties are run by leaders who are disconnected with the people of the state,” he told reporters, responding to a question in this regard. The “Jayalalithaa is inaccessible” remark at a conference in New Delhi was an “innocent” one but I had realised that it “touched a raw nerve,” Goyal said. He said BJP was the “only party” whose leaders were available for people and claimed that they would address public grievances honestly and transparently. On the state government not coming forward to implement the Centre’s scheme, UDAY, aimed at benefiting discoms, Goyal said its implementation will result in a saving of over Rs 22,000 crore for the people of Tamil Nadu. He had personally met a state delegation led by state Power Minister Natham R Viswanathan last year and had explained the benefits of the scheme. Besides his officials had made follow-up efforts with the state, Goyal said.

Underlining Centre’s commitment for ensuring adequate power supply to Tamil Nadu, Goyal said the transmission network between north and south India has been expanded by 71 per cent and three coal blocks have been allotted for the state to ensure there was no shortage in the state’s coal-fired power stations. With both DMK and AIADMK offering freebies in their election manifestos, Goyal urged the voters “not to get swayed away by these small gifts,” and asked them to vote for BJP saying it will be honest and transparent. “Don’t get carried away by false propaganda and freebies,” he said. Earlier, he released the manifesto of party’s state unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan for her Virugambakkam constituency here.