MP: Congress wary as power cuts return in poll season

Power outages have returned to haunt 'energy surplus' Madhya Pradesh as well as the ruling Congress at a time when political heat is going up in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections along with the summer mercury.

Well aware of the political cost of the power cuts, especially during elections are around, Chief Minister and seasoned politician Kamal Nath has sought a status report on availability of power, distribution and the power cuts carried out in the last one month from state Energy Minister and other higher ups, a party functionary said Tuesday.

"Nath has sought to know from the concerned persons whether power cuts were being carried out under a conspiracy when the state is power surplus," said state Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja.

State Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot recently told a public meeting in his home district Jabalpur that some staffers of power distribution companies were working against the Congress who will be dealt with after the model code of conduct comes to end.

In 2003, outgoing chief minister Digvijaya Singh had famously said that power shortage in the state has dealt an electric shock to Congress party in that year's assembly polls.

The Congress, which returned to power after a gap of 15 years last year, has become wary of power cuts now.

Madhya Pradesh will vote in four phases beginning April 29.