YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday threatened to file a defamation case seeking damages of â¹100 crore against vernacular media outlets for allegedly spreading false and baseless reports about his involvement in the power purchase agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
Addressing reporters, Jagan clarified that the power purchase agreement was between SECI and the state government during his tenure, negotiated at the lowest price of â¹2.49 per unit.
“There is no third-party involvement, and allegations linking my name to bribery in this matter are baseless and incoherent,” he asserted.
When questioned about his meeting with Gautam Adani, Jagan dismissed the controversy, stating that it was not unusual for industrialists to meet with a chief minister. He also denied reports suggesting his name was mentioned in a U.S. indictment.
“The two vernacular newspapers have been twisting facts and publishing distorted stories. If they do not issue an open apology within 48 hours, I will pursue legal action and demand â¹100 crore in damages,” the YSRCP chief warned.
Providing details about the power purchase agreement, Jagan explained that SECI had offered to supply 7,000 MW of power to Andhra Pradesh at â¹2.49 per unit, including a waiver on interstate transmission costs. Of this, 3,000 MW would be supplied starting September 2024.
“This was a bumper offer—the cheapest power rate the state has ever secured. We followed all due procedures, receiving SECI’s letter on September 15, 2021. The proposal was reviewed by an expert committee for 40 days, and the matter was finalized in the scheduled cabinet meeting in December,” he said.
Jagan highlighted that SECI offered power to other states, including Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, at higher rates than the â¹2.49 per unit offered to Andhra Pradesh.
He stated that accepting the agreement would save the state â¹4,400 crore, and over 25 years, the savings could amount to nearly â¹1 lakh crore due to the waiver of interstate transmission costs.
Criticizing TDP-friendly media, Jagan refuted claims that Gujarat was receiving cheaper power.
“The production costs in Gujarat are lower, and even there, the post-COVID price quoted recently was â¹2.62 per unit—higher than the rate offered to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.