BRS blows own trumpet, asks cadre to celebrate ERC stand

Hyderabad: BRS Party working president KT Rama Rao on Tuesday called up on the party activists across the State to celebrate the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) stopping the burden of a tariff hike of Rs 18,500 crore proposed by the government.

He said that the BRS—which never increased the power charges in ten years, was able to convince the ERC by participating in the public hearing to oppose the proposed tariff hike by Rs 18,500 crore in just ten months. KTR said that this was the first time in the history of the undivided State that the ERC rejected the tariff hike proposals after hearing arguments of the main Opposition.

Rao said, “Such an occasion where the voice of people was heard as the main Opposition was historic. The government's attempt to increase electricity charges for people of the State was placed before the ERC in a scientific and proper manner.”

According to the instructions of party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, KTR, along with former energy minister G Jagadishwar Reddy and senior leaders, urged the ERC to stop the increase in charges. Former minister V Prashant Reddy and ex-speaker Madhusudana Chary participated and voiced their arguments on behalf of people. KTR recalled that he himself participated in the tariff hike referendum in Sirisilla and convinced ERC of people's arguments. Rao thanked ERC for standing by people and not imposing a heavy burden on them. He called for celebrations at every district centre and constituency centre on behalf of people for stopping the tariff hike.