The BJP, which earlier took a strong stand against the recent hike in power tariff and even forced Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to announce its withdrawal, on Thursday virtually softened its approach on the issue, as Balbir Punj, in-charge of the party’s affairs in the state, said that the issue would be settled by the two-member committee constituted to review subsidies in all sectors.
“The issue of power hike has been put before the committee, comprising Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and senior BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia, constituted to review subsidies being extended in the state to all sectors including rural and urban population,” Punj told reporters.
Pointed out that earlier Kalia himself assured people that tariff hike would be reversed very soon, Punj evaded a direct reply and said, “Whatever I wanted to say on the issue, I have already said.” Terming the Librehan Commission’s report as a “document of political vendetta”, Punj claimed that there was no credibility of the report.
