Gautam Adani may be a constant companion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his overseas tours, but that has not deterred BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan from questioning the AIADMK government’s move to buy power from Adani Group at a “high price.”
Talking to reporters at the Coimbatore International Airport on Sunday, she criticised the government for entering into an agreement to buy solar power from Adani at a high cost without finding out the lowest possible price by calling for tenders.
She also criticised Adani Group’s deals in the neighbouring Kerala in other sectors.
Meanwhile, MDMK general secretary Vaiko demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on the Adani deal. In a statement, he said there have been reports in the past that the Centre, led by the Prime Minister, helped the Adani Group in obtaining coal mines in Australia and in getting loans from nationalised banks. Besides, the group had grown manifold only when Mr. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he claimed.
Tangedco had entered into an agreement with the Adani Group to purchase solar power at Rs 7.01 per unit on July 4 from the plant it was planning to set up in Ramanathapuram district. On July 17, the same group had quoted a price of Rs. 6.4 per unit in Madhya Pradesh.
This agreement would result in a loss of Rs. 7.76 crore per day with the annual revenue loss for Tangedco pegged at Rs. 2,800 crore, Mr. Vaiko said. Wondering why the AIADMK government was following in the footsteps of the BJP government in Gujarat in extending concessions to the Adani Group, he said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa should explain the reasons to people.
It had quoted a price of Rs. 6.4 per unit in Madhya Pradesh
