Cong calls Fadnavis' APTEL bias charge against private firms 'hypocrisy'

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh (Photo:PTI)

The Congress on Wednesday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' reported letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity's bias in favour of private power companies was full of "hypocrisy" and that he should also question decisions that have benefited the Adani group.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Maharashtra chief minister has apparently protested to the prime minister that the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) is heavily biased in favour of private power companies.

"The major recipient of APTEL's favours in Maharashtra in 2025 and 2026 has been the Modani conglomerate. At least 4 cases have been decided in its favour," Ramesh said on X, referring to the Adani group.

The Congress uses the term 'Modani' to allege collusion between the conglomerate and the Modi government.

Ramesh alleged that the Maharashtra government has itself bent over backwards to favour 'Modani' not only in power projects but also in real estate development projects like at Dharavi.

"The CM's sudden ire at Modani is full of hypocrisy. His complaint to the PM seems to have been triggered by an APTEL decision in favour of another private company, JSW.

"If he means what he says, the CM should be questioning all the earlier decisions that have benefited Modani at the expense of the state government and consumers," Ramesh said.

His remarks came days after media reports stated that Fadnavis had written to Modi and urged his intervention with the apex appellate body for the power sector, stating that a slew of its recent rulings favoured private power companies over state-owned power companies.

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