Mulayam raises RIL gas issue in House

The gas row between the Ambani brothers had its echo in the Lok Sabha on Thursday with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav making a strong plea for gas from Reliance at cheaper rates for state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), a plea also being used by the Anil Ambani group.

Yadav said Petroleum Minister Murli Deora’s affidavit to the Supreme Court was against NTPC’s interests and the assurance made in the House by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

“NTPC will be losing thousands of crores. It is a Navaratna company, it is one of the better companies in the world which needs to be saved,” the SP chief said.

This is the second time this year that Yadav has raised the issue in the House. On July 29, he had demanded Deora’s resignation for his role in the dispute between the Ambani brothers. At that time, he had raised the issue of supply of gas to the Dadri power plant. Anil Ambani has accused the oil ministry of helping his brother Mukesh, who heads Reliance Industries Ltd, of going back on his commitment to supply gas to the Dadri plant being planned by him.

Speaker Meira Kumar said the government was ready for a discussion in the House. Earlier, during the Question Hour, Minister of State for Petroleum Jitin Prasada had ducked questions about the dispute, saying the matter was subjudice.