Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government has cut power tariff by 20 per cent throughout the state except in Mumbai.
Last Monday, hundreds of Congress workers led by Mumbai MPs Sanjay Nirupam and Priya Dutt protested outside the Kandivali West office of Reliance Energy, the Anil Ambani-owned power company that provides electricity in their constituencies.
Mr Nirupam, the Lok Sabha MP from the Mumbai North constituency and Ms Dutt who represents the North West constituency in Mumbai, have been demanding a reduction in electricity tariffs like the one announced by the new Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. Their party, the Congress, leads a coalition government in Maharashtra.
Mr Nirupam had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan last month threatening a mass agitation if electricity rates were not cut.
In his strongly-worded letter, the Lok Sabha MP had repeatedly referred to AAP's measures to reign in power rates in Delhi. He also suggested an audit of private power companies operating in Mumbai on the lines of an investigation by the national auditor requested by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Mumbai lawmaker has alleged that cartelisation is driving up power tariffs.
Besides Reliance Energy, BEST, a government supplier, and Tata Power also provide electricity in Mumbai.