Congress Promised Free Power, But People Are Receiving Shockingly High Bills: Karan Nanda
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Shimla, May 23, 2026 — BJP State Media Coordinator Karan Nanda on Friday accused the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government of continuously imposing financial burdens on the public through what he described as “anti-people decisions,” particularly regarding rising electricity charges.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Nanda said the common people of the state are being “shocked” by continuously increasing electricity bills and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been protesting against the issue both on the streets and inside the Assembly.
He said that before coming to power, the Congress government had promised 300 units of free electricity as part of its election guarantees, while the previous BJP government led by former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had already been providing 125 units of free electricity to consumers.
“Today, that Congress guarantee has completely disappeared. Instead of free electricity, people are now being forced to pay exorbitant bills,” Nanda alleged.
The BJP leader further claimed that the Congress government sharply increased electricity duty on large industries — from 11 percent to 25 percent in September 2023 and then to 37.5 percent in January 2024. He also criticized the imposition of an additional electricity cess of ₹1 per unit on commercial consumers in 2026, saying it has increased the financial burden on hotels, malls, private hospitals, petrol pumps, coaching institutes, and other establishments.
Nanda alleged that under the slogan of building a “self-reliant Himachal,” the government was instead “emptying the pockets of the public.” He claimed that electricity which was earlier free up to 125 units now costs consumers up to ₹5.44 per unit, while the minimum electricity bill has reached around ₹750. According to him, rates for the 126–300 unit slab have also risen to ₹5.89 per unit, resulting in significantly higher monthly bills for ordinary households.
He said the worst affected include tenants, students, laborers, salaried employees, and outsourced workers. The BJP leader accused the government of launching a “direct economic attack” on poor and middle-class families by ending electricity subsidies for households with more than two electricity meters.
“Students and working people living in rented accommodations and PGs are now also facing high electricity bills without subsidies,” he said.
Nanda further alleged that the Congress government was misusing central development funds received under the “Pride of the Hills” scheme and claimed that money meant for development was being diverted to fulfill “failed guarantees.”
Accusing the government of making Himachal Pradesh “the most expensive state in the country,” the BJP leader said the party would continue its protest against the decisions and demanded immediate rollback of increased electricity rates and withdrawal of subsidy cuts.
