Delhi BJP protests against AAP government over electricity price hike

New Delhi: BJP leaders and workers on Friday staged a protest against the AAP government near the Delhi Secretariat over the electricity price hike in the city.

Addressing the protesters, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the Kejriwal government raised the power purchase adjustment charge (PPAC) without touching the per unit cost of electricity for political benefit.

He claimed it was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who brought PPAC to Delhi. PPAC was just 1.7 per cent in 2015 and it has now gone up to 46 per cent, he said.

PPAC is a surcharge to cover fluctuations in power purchase costs incurred by the discoms.

The protesters tried to march towards the Delhi Secretariat from Shaheedi Park at ITO but were stopped by police. Some protesters, including Sachdeva, were detained as they tried to get past the police barricade.

Earlier, Power Minister Atishi had alleged that the BJP was spreading rumours about the hike in electricity charges.