‘We didn’t cut off Rae Bareli power’

A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi accused Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav of being ‘‘vindictive’’ towards Rae Bareli

A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi accused Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav of being ‘‘vindictive’’ towards Rae Bareli, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation today said it was not giving ‘‘step-motherly’’ treatment to any particular area and claimed the district was being given 24-hour power supply since June 15.

‘‘We are not meting out step-motherly treatment to Rae Bareli or any other district. After Union Energy Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s request during his visit on June 14, the Chief Minister had directed UPPCL to ensure 24-hour power supply to Rae Bareli. From June 15 we started supplying 24-hour supply there,’’ UPPCL chairman Ashok Kumar Khurana said.

Accepting that after the recent Lok Sabha bypoll, the average power supply to the district had been 16 hours in urban and 11 hours in rural areas, Khurana said it was increased to 24 hours in urban and 14 hours in rural areas from June 15.

Story continues below this ad

Refuting allegations that during the by-elections 24-hour power was being supplied to Rae Bareli due to political reasons, he said ‘‘we have been supplying 24-hour power to riot-hit Aligarh and Meerut during the fire tragedy. Similar was the case with Rae Bareli. ‘‘24-hour power was being supplied to the district to help maintain law and order and conduct free and fair bypolls.’’

Sonia Gandhi yesterday accused the SP of adopting a ‘‘vindictive’’ attitude towards Rae Bareli by resorting to undeclared power cuts soon after the bypoll.

‘FIR lodged 10 hours later… have two young kids’: BMW driver seeks bail

Cities3 hr ago

Woman driving BMW involved in fatal crash, judicial custody extended till September 27. Lawyer argues for bail, claiming Delhi Police converting accident case into culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Couple's children also injured, senior finance ministry official killed. Accident took place on Sunday afternoon, car hit bus and ambulance refused to take injured to hospital.

View all shorts

Live Blog