Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 9 (IANS) BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan on Monday questioned the V.D. Satheesan government’s decision to purchase electricity through a private power platform without inviting tenders.
He alleged that the move raised serious doubts about the government’s intentions and demanded a public explanation from Satheesan. He questioned how the government could decide to purchase electricity from a private company without inviting tenders.
He also wanted to know whether other companies had approached the government with offers to supply power and what criteria were adopted to select a particular company.
Muraleedharan said media reports suggested that Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph and former KSEB chairman Rajamanickam favoured purchasing electricity from the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh government rather than through a private company.
“If the state had the option of purchasing power from Himachal Pradesh, why was an agreement with that state government not pursued? What is the interest behind choosing a private company?” he asked.
He demanded that Satheesan disclose details of his discussions with the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and explain why the proposed arrangement with the state was not taken forward.
The BJP leader also pointed out that the power supply arrangement through GNA would cover only the period from November 2026 to March 2027.
The private company would not supply electricity during April and May 2027, when the state’s power demand could remain high. “If Himachal Pradesh was willing to supply electricity until May, why was that option dropped? The government must explain this,” he said.
Muraleedharan said a comparison of the overall costs indicated that purchasing electricity from Himachal Pradesh would be more economical than the arrangement with a private company.
He wanted the government to disclose the financial implications of both options and explain the basis on which the private platform was selected.
He also questioned the silence of Sunny Joseph over the controversy. The Minister’s silence was equally suspicious, he alleged.
“How can a minister continue in office when he has no role in decisions taken by his own department?” Muraleedharan asked.
He said the government owed the public a clear explanation for the absence of a tender and the decision not to pursue the Himachal Pradesh option.
–IANS
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