TDP-led NDA govt in Andhra non-committal over fate of Adani deals in state

Amaravati, Nov 26 (PTI) Close to a week after the Adani bribery allegations scandal shook the country, entangling the erstwhile YSRCP regime in Andhra Pradesh and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), the TDP-led NDA government is non-committal on the fate of those solar power deals and mostly tight-lipped.

    Business tycoon and Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani has been charged by the US Department of Justice over his role in an alleged years-long scheme to pay USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials in exchange for signing for solar power contracts, an allegation refuted by the Indian conglomerate.

    "I have been observing it (Adani bribery scam case) over the last two to three days. I will talk to our CM once and take a collective opinion on it," Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan told reporters when asked about the fate of those deals in New Delhi today.

    Likewise, a senior minister holding a crucial portfolio in the southern state told PTI, "We have nothing to add to what our chief minister said in the Assembly during the budget session."

    On November 22, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu informed the House that the state government is in possession of the US "chargesheets" related to the alleged bribery scam involving the erstwhile YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government and Adani Group, and "promised" to act on those irregularities after "studying" them.


    "I have all the chargesheet reports filed there (US). It is in the public domain. Will study what more is there (in the allegations and the indictment). Will act on it and inform you," said Naidu.

    Highlighting that the allegations have hurt the prestige and brand image of the southern state, Naidu said it is a very sad development.

    "Still some more truths have to emerge. Government is also thinking. Once all the truths emerge, we will study all of them to do what we have to do and will keep you informed," he added.

    Further, a senior energy department official also refused to comment on the future course of action.

     Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila recently alleged that the previous YSRCP regime had forged a 25-year deal with the Adani conglomerate to buy power at Rs 2.49 per unit while the Adani Group was supplying it only at Rs 1.99 per unit in Gujarat, burdening Andhra Pradesh people by Rs 1 lakh crore.

    The previous YSRCP regime in Andhra Pradesh is embroiled in this alleged scam with claims that government officials received bribes from the Adani Group, which reportedly amounted to Rs 1,750 crore.

    Reportedly, the southern state signed solar power deals with SECI which are also allegedly connected to these allegations.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)