THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has mounted a strong defense against allegations raised by Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the state’s electricity procurement contracts. Dismissing the claims of any transparency issues, the Chief Minister questioned why the opposition continues to repeat the same allegations despite detailed clarifications provided earlier.
No Official Proposal from Himachal Pradesh
Addressing the Opposition’s claim that Himachal Pradesh offered power to Kerala at ₹12.50 per unit, CM Satheesan pointed out that Vijayan has failed to present any documentary proof supporting this assertion. “The absence of a response implies the Opposition Leader himself realizes no such official offer was ever made by Himachal Pradesh,” the Chief Minister stated.
Highlighting the timeline, Satheesan noted that Rajasthan had already decided to purchase power from Himachal Pradesh on October 18, and the proposal reached the Rajasthan Regulatory Commission by October 28. The relevant KSEB file reached the Chief Minister’s office for a final decision only on October 30.
“Artificial Power Crisis” Claim is Paradoxical
CM Satheesan criticized the logical contradiction in the opposition’s stance—claiming on one hand that the power shortage was artificially generated, while simultaneously demanding to know why power recommended by KSEB from Himachal Pradesh was not bought. He reaffirmed that KSEB officially alerted the government regarding impending power deficits based on documents and data.
Procurement via GNA Platform
Refuting criticism of procurement through the GNA (General Network Access) platform, Satheesan mentioned that notes submitted by the former KSEB Chairman explicitly advised considering GNA power. He welcomed the Opposition Leader’s admission that the previous administration had also utilized the GNA platform for energy purchases.
Process Followed, No Secretive Files
Hitting back at the demand for documents, the Chief Minister remarked, “Did the previous Chief Minister ever release documents requested by the opposition during his tenure?” He added that CPM-backed trade unions in KSEB have already handed over relevant files to the opposition leader, and any further documents can be accessed through formal constitutional channels.
Concluding his statement, CM Satheesan remarked that decisions are taken after careful scrutiny of every file, emphasizing that he does not sign on “random tissue papers” presented before him.
