Political blame game over power crisis intensifies between Keralam government and Opposition
While the LDF has exploited the power crisis to portray its previous government in a better light for expedient political optics ahead of the upcoming byelections in 36 local body wards in the State, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has repeatedly sought to put the previous government on the hook for the crisis
The political blame game over Keralam's power crisis escalated on Saturday, as the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government and the Opposition traded accusations over who was responsible for the disruptive electricity cuts. The nightly blackouts, a rare occurrence after a decade, have tarnished the UDF government's public image, leading to a surge in social media criticism.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) capitalized on the crisis, portraying the previous LDF administration more favorably in the lead-up to upcoming local elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) organized protests against the UDF's handling of the power sector and criticized Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph for his apparent lack of solutions.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan blamed the LDF government for scrapping a long-term power purchase agreement in 2011, which he claimed led to the current situation. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan accused the UDF of misrepresenting facts to maintain credibility, noting that the LDF had previously objected to the agreement's clauses that favored private suppliers.
The Cabinet later superseded the commission's decision to cancel the agreement. With the power situation review scheduled for the following day, the UDF Cabinet has ruled out raising power tariffs for domestic consumers to avoid political repercussions.
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