Congress questions Modi, Vijayan, Adani's 'special relation'

Slamming the central government, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surejwala sought to know if there was "a secret deal" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Adani Group.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress on Monday sought to know if there was "a secret deal" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Adani Group.

Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surejwala said Kerala respects honesty, abhors secret deals, is known for transparency and demanding accountability as he asked Vijayan to come clean on whether the LDF government, acting through the Solar Energy Corporation of India, a nodal agency of the Union New and Renewable Energy Ministry, decided to purchase 300 MW long term wind power for 25 years at approximately Rs 8,785 crore from the Adani Group.

Asking whether this 300 MW long term wind power would be purchased at the rate of Rs.2.82 per unit and Rs 2.90 per unit, he sought to know if the tariff of power from other 'renewable energy source' i.e. solar power is Rs 1.99 per unit as on November/December 2020, and if so, why was the LDF government purchasing wind power at a higher rate.

Surjewala also asked if the Vijayan and the Modi governments together reduced Kerala's quota of solar energy from 2.75 per cent to a mere 0.25 per cent, and whether this facilitated the purchase of wind power from the Adani Group.

He alleged that Vijayan's opposition to handing over of Thiruvananthapuram Airport to Adani Group was a farce and facade to cover up other secret understandings.

He also wondered if there was any common link between the gold smuggling case, and the "suspicious refusal" of the Enforcement Directorate/Income Tax Department and other central government agencies to act against the Chief Minister, three Cabinet Ministers and the Assembly Speaker and the consequent award of 300 MW long term wind power project to Adani Group.

"All these points towards a secret understanding between Pinarayi Vijayan and Narendra Modi," he alleged.

(IANS)