Alliance Govt got power for cheaper rate, counters BJP

MUMBAI, SEPT 3: Reacting to Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi8217;s charges yesterday that MSEB had been forced to buy power from the Dabhol Power Company at high costs, the BJP today tried to explain the renegotiated PPA with Enron8217;s DPC for the umpteenth time.

At the daily briefing, BJP spokesman Prakash Jawdekar said while the Congress Government8217;s PPA would have got power at Rs 2.40 when the dollar was worth Rs 32 per unit, the Sena-BJP Government8217;s renegotiated agreement had brought down that cost to Rs 2.03. Since the rupee had fallen to Rs 43 a dollar, that cost would now be Rs 2.90, and not Rs five or six, as was being claimed by Kalmadi.

Jawdekar said the BJP was open to a debate on the renegotiated PPA at any time and charged the Congress with making false claims without authority on the subject.