Power cuts? BJP, AAP trade barbs

New Delhi: On Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trade accusations over power outages in Delhi following the recent elections. While Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claims there is no power crisis in the city, outgoing Chief Minister Atishi has blamed the BJP for severe disruptions in electricity supply.

Sachdeva accused Atishi and other AAP leaders of spreading misinformation regarding power cuts, alleging that the Kejriwal-led government had long colluded with private power distribution companies (discoms) to exploit consumers. “There is no power outage anywhere in Delhi. The only issue is that the Acting Chief Minister and the power discoms have colluded in a way that unnecessary delays are being caused in fixing breakdowns here and there,” he stated. He further warned power discoms against cooperating with Atishi, threatening an investigation once the BJP government assumes full control. “If the power discoms are deliberately enforcing cuts or delaying repairs under pressure from AAP, they should be prepared for scrutiny,” he added.

However, Atishi painted a different picture, asserting that widespread power cuts have been affecting Delhi since February 9. She pointed to prolonged outages in areas such as Sainik Enclave, Mohan Garden, and Vikaspuri, with disruptions lasting between one to five hours. “For the past three days, different parts of Delhi have been experiencing prolonged power cuts. This is not limited to just one area,” she said, adding that complaints have surfaced from North, South, East, and West Delhi.

She also noted that even BJP officials had raised concerns, citing a six-hour-long power cut reported in Sangam Vihar. Blaming the BJP for mismanagement, she argued that Delhi’s power infrastructure

remained stable under the AAP government but collapsed within days of the BJP’s election victory.