From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 14: With the worsening power crisis affecting the people throughout the State, the ruling BJP has decided to hold State-wide protests on October 18 against the Centre to oppose its non-cooperation in ensuring allocated share of power and supply of sufficient quantity of coal to thermal power plants.

State BJP General Secretary and spokesman C T Ravi blamed the Central government for the present power crisis in the state.

He said the party would stage protests at all district headquarters and in Bangalore over the Centre’s discriminatory attitude against Karnataka in allocation of power and delay in the supply of coal to new power projects in the State.

Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has allocated 700 MW of additional power to his home state of Maharashtra and rejected the State’s plea for a similar allocation, the BJP leader claimed and said the people of Karnataka were frustrated and angry at the step-motherly treatment from the Centre.

The Centre was responsible for the power crisis in the State as it was not allocating the state its share of 1596 MW and supplying only about 1000-1100 MW, Ravi alleged.

The BJP demanded that four Union Ministers representing Karnataka ‘demonstrate their power’ and secure allotment of coal and additional power to the state.

Karnataka’s Energy Shobha Karandlaje, who is also in charge of food and civil supplies, called on Union Minister for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal in Delhi on Thursday and sought allocation of additional coal to the State from Talcher in Maharashtra.