Kejriwal claims that the Centre is all set to bring about amendments in the Electricity Act in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament phasing out cross subsidy to consumers. It will mean that the power tariffs for the common man will be the same as that for commercial and industrial units, he says.

At present Delhi consumers consuming upto 200 units are charged at the rate of one rupee per unit while those using upto 400 units are charged Rs 2.50 per unit. According to Kejriwal, once the proposed amendment is through, both categories of consumers will have to pay Rs 7.50 per unit. He claims, and perhaps rightly, that 90 per cent of Delhi consumers will be hit hard.

By seeking support of all the BJP-NDA chief ministers against this measure, Kejriwal is trying to make it a national issue. He has already written to all chief ministers to pressurize the centre against the move. He knows that while the BJP-NDA chief ministers are unlikely to take up the issue, others like Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal will surely raise their voice. The move has the potential to unite the Opposition ranks at a time when five states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh , Telengana and Mizoram are going for assembly elections in November-December and the parliamentary polls are less than seven months away. More importantly, Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party itself has a lot at stake facing as it will the parliamentary elections against BJP’s well-oiled election machinery in Delhi.

Kejriwal has earned massive goodwill of the people of Delhi by effectively taking up the issue of power and water charges and does not want to lose the same. Delhi voters gave him an unprecedented victory in the assembly elections because of his pro-people pronouncements on issues touching daily lives of citizens like power, water, transportatioin, health and education, among others. He has, in particular, immense support of people for substantially reducing power and water charges. An estimated 50 percent of Delhi consumers do not have to pay anything for water while majority agree that power rates have come down by half, thanks to his pressure on power companies.

Delhi being a major power consumer, it is said the existing power companies managing the NCT region have since been pressing the Centre to come in their aid and raise the rates. The only way out was a national legislation fixing the rates. Hence the proposed amendments in the electricity act.

Whatever the outcome of the proposed amendment, it is clear that Kejriwal has taken the advantage politically by raising the issue first. He has taken an astute political move by raking up the matter in right earnest. Like he did during the assembly elections, he wants his party to contest Lok Sabha polls in Delhi on local issues like power, water, transportation etc. Much as BJP and Congress may blame his administration for “lack of governance” and “infighting among party ranks”, AAP has still retained its vote bank, thanks to its uncompromising stand on power and water rates, among others.

If the Centre takes up the proposed amendment of the electrticity act as Kejriwal claims, BJP-led central government will give a major election issue to AAP in Delhi.