BJP promises to cut power tariff by 30 pc in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Accusing the Delhi Government of total failure in "all fronts", newly-appointed Delhi BJP Chief Vijay Goel today promised to cut power tariff by 30 per cent if the party wins the assembly polls later this year.

"The day on which BJP comes to power in Delhi, power tariff will be decreased by 30 per cent," Goel said, addressing his first press conference after assuming his new responsibility.

Hike in power tariff is likely to become a major issue in the run up to the assembly elections slated to be held in November. AAP's Arvind Kejriwal had already announced that his party would fight the Delhi Assembly polls focussing mainly on hike in electricity and water tariff.

The power tariff in the city was hiked by 22 per cent in 2011 followed by five per cent hike in February last year. The tariff was hiked by up to two per cent in May last year and again by 26 per cent for domestic consumers in July last year. The tariff was hiked by up to three per cent last month.

Indicating that hike in power tariff will be one of the major issue for BJP, Goel warned the Delhi Government not to hike the tariff again and said he will launch a "Bijli Andolan" in the city if such a decision is taken.

"We will announce date of the Bijli Andolan Rally in Ramlila Maidan on the day the tariff is increased. The discoms and the Delhi Government have been putting excessive burden on the people of Delhi and we will not tolerate it any further," he said.

Goel, who served as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government, accused the Congress government of total failure in all fronts and claimed he has "solution" to all the problems of Delhi.

Sounding poll bugle, the senior Delhi BJP leader said the party will pay more attention to "40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies, 30 lakh people in JJ colonies, 10 lakh people in slums and 5 to 10 lakh residents of villages where no development has taken place during Congress' regime."

Goel said BJP will present a report on key issues within a month and form various committees on them.

"On the basis of these reports in one month we will present the schemes for solving the problems before the people. Our role is not only to criticise the Government but we want to present an alternative model," he said.