Congmen pool in money to avoid office blackout

Though senior district Congress members have denied receiving any notice,they have started collecting funds from party members to settle the outstanding dues.

Executive Engineer,KESCO and Public Relations Officer,AKS Chauhan told The Indian Express: “There have been several irregularities in the electricity bill payment by the Congress,in the last eight years. The party has only made partial payments,while the bulk amount is still pending.” He said that the district Congress office at Tilak Hall has a 2mw power connection and the electricity is supplied from the Khas Bazaar sub station. Chauhan added that if the dues are not cleared in the next 10 days by the district Congress unit,KESCO will have no other option but to withdraw the connection.

District president of the party Mahesh Dixit,meanwhile,said. “I was apprised of the pending electricity bills by KESCO employees only a few days ago,but we are yet to receive any bill.”

Dixit claimed that some of the bills had been cleared during his tenure. “However,I do not remember the exact amount we have paid to KESCo,” he added. According to the Congress leader,the electricity bills are settled through the donations collected from the party members. He said,“We do not get any funds from the party’s state head office to clear the electricity dues.”

Congress legislator from Seesamau,Sanjiv Dariyabadi,however,denied having any knowledge about the issue. He said,“I will contact the district unit,and it will be ensured that the pending bill is cleared at the earliest.”

The legislator stated that a team of party members will be formed to ensure that the electricity dues are cleared on time.