BJP slams government over load-shedding woes in Karnataka, calls it 'Congress guarantee of dark state'

BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP on Thursday slammed the Congress, accusing it of turning Karnataka from a power surplus to a power deficit state within months of assuming office. Taking to social media platform X, the saffron party said the power tariff hike and the “looming spectre of load-shedding” is a consequence of the “Congress guarantee of a dark state.”

“Agriculture and industries, which were already affected by the increase in electricity rates, have further shrunk due to lack of electricity…The Congress, which promised to provide free electricity, is now too weak to provide electricity even though it is paying for it,” the party posted.


Last month, Home Minister G Parameshwara announced that the state may have to resort to load-shedding in some parts of the state to cover the demand for power. A weak monsoon has led to half-filled reservoirs, reducing the dependability of hydel power and forcing the state to rely more on thermal plants. The Karnataka government has approached other states in the bid to fulfil the growing demand.

The government is also burdened by the Griha Jyoti - the Congress’ pre-poll promise giving up to 200 units of electricity per month for free per household. The scheme, launched last month, will cost the state Rs 13,910 crore a year.

In June this year, the Siddaramaiah-led government had increased electricity rates by Rs 2.89 per unit, facing widespread outrage from industrialists across the state. The power tariff hike was widely perceived as a means to fund the regime’s electoral promise. Placing the blame at the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (KERC) doorstep, the CM had then said that the regulator had decided to increase the charges before the government came to power.