The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said that the city gets the cheapest electricity in the country.  Party national spokesperson Raghav Chadha released a video in response to the letter sent by senior BJP leader Manoj Tiwari to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issue of power tariff and supply in the city.

The response came soon after Delhi Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) president Manoj Tiwari alleged that the AAP led Delhi Government has betrayed the people of Delhi over its promise of Bijli Half-Paani Maaf.

Reiterating Delhi Government’s claim of providing the cheapest electrify in India, Chadha said, “Several Governments allowed inflated electricity tariffs to be collected in Delhi in collusion with power companies until the AAP formed Government here. When people of Delhi elected and honest leader Arvind Kejriwal as their Chief Minister, he ensured that people of Delhi receive cheapest electricity in the country. “

Denouncing the allegations in the letter as mala fide and factually incorrect, Chadha challenged the parliamentarian to an open debate on the topic.

Highlighting electricity rates per meter for consumption up to 200 units, Chadha said, Delhi pays Rs 2.25 while BJP ruled Gujarat, UP, Haryana and Maharashtra pay Rs 3.79, Rs 6.03, 3.75 and 6.07 respectively. Congress ruled states like MP, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh pay for the same to the tune of 6.54 per unit, 6.06 per unit, and 3.78 per unit.

“The rate per unit for consumption up to 200 units varies between Rs 3 to Rs 10 in other states, while Delhi government is providing the same at Rs 2.25 only,” he said.  Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday tweeted “Delhi gets 24x7 electricity at cheapest rates in the country,”.

Addressing the allegations of high fixed charges, Chadha said, “ The final amount after adding the fixed and variable charges and after deducting relief in form of subsidies provided by various Governments for consumption up to 200 units also amount to only Rs 450 in Delhi, while it is Rs 758 in Gujarat, Rs 1,205 in UP,  Rs 1,313 in Maharashtra etc.. The same costs Rs 1,307 in MP, Rs 1,212 in Karnataka and Rs 1,343 in Rajasthan. Even after adding the fixed and variable charges it is found that Delhi Government provides the cheapest electricity.”

Elaborating figures of price of consumption up to 400 units, Chadha noted that the same costs Rs 1,400 in Delhi, while it costs Rs 1,780 in Gujarat, Rs 2,813 in Haryana, Rs 2,665 in UP and Rs 4.628 in BJP ruled Maharashtra.  He further said that while capital cities all across the world are considered to be more expensive in comparison to the rest of the country, Delhi defies that logic and is the only such city where you get the cheapest electricity under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal.