Power tariff revision will not affect poor, says Stalin

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has said the recent power tariff hike effected by the state government will not affect the poor and blamed the previous AIADMK government's administrative negligence and mounting debts of the state-run discom for the revision.

Electricity rates are still cheaper in Tamil Nadu compared to other states, he told News 18 Tamil Nadu TV channel. ''It would have no impact on poor and the middle class. The move to increase power tariff was due to the previous AIADMK government's administrative negligence and accumulation of TANGEDCO's (Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation) debts in the last 10 years,'' he said.

The AIADMK had ruled the state between 2011-21.

Stalin, President of the ruling DMK, also exuded confidence of winning all 40 seats in the next Parliamentary elections, due in 2024. While Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats, neighbouring Puducherry has 1. The DMK coalition had won all 40 in 2004. Asserting that the existing alliance, comprising the Congress and the Left among others, will continue for the 2024 polls, Stalin said ''there would not be any compromise with the BJP.''