Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief YS Sharmila launched a full-scale attack against her brother and former AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accusing him of surrendering the state to Gautam Adani like “a blank cheque.” Sharmila’s statements come in the wake of a criminal indictment filed against Adani Group head, Gautam Adani, and others in the US in a bribery scheme. Details found in the complaint filed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission revealed that Gautam Adani had personally met Jagan and promised extensive bribes in exchange for the state signing up for buying solar energy supplied by two companies, including one owned by Adani.
Speaking to the media on Friday, November 22, Sharmila slammed her estranged sibling, saying Jagan Mohan Reddy has turned Andhra Pradesh to Adani Pradesh.”
Accusing him of holding the sentiments of the state’s people hostage by accepting Rs 1,750 crore in bribe, she said Jagan had further burdened the people with crores in debt. Stating that all the agreements signed by Jagan involved commissions, Sharmila asked Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to review all the agreements made with Adani Group during Jagan’s tenure, cancel the power purchase agreement, and also blacklist Adani Group in the state.
“Adani was handed the contract to supply coal to the entire state. The entire beach sand contract was placed in the hands of Adani. The submarine contract in Visakhapatnam also wanted to be put in Adani's hands. How much bribe was taken for the contracts given to Adani?” she questioned.
The indictment against Adani said that Gautam Adani offered a bribe to Andhra Pradesh officials “to cause the relevant Andhra Pradesh government entities to enter into Power Supply Agreements with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for the purchase of 7,000 MW of power capacity.” The bribe offered worked out to Rs 25 lakh rupees per megawatt or Rs 1750 crore rupees.
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has issued a statement terming the indictment as “incorrect” and said there was no direct agreement signed by AP state power distribution companies with any of the Adani Group companies. It said that the state had a transparent agreement with SECI for acquiring 7,000 MW of solar power at a competitive rate of Rs. 2.49 per kWh, approved by the state and central electricity regulatory commissions.