Battle for UP: Akhilesh's registration campaign for free electricity sop

The Samajwadi Party is launching a 'Naam likhwao' (Get registered) campaign from Wednesday to log those who want 300 units of free power on domestic connections if the party forms the government after the 2022 Assembly polls.

The party had earlier announced that it will give 300 units of free power on domestic connections on the formation of the SP government in UP after the 2022 Assembly polls. The party has also announced free electricity to farmers for irrigation.

Giving details of the registration campaign, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said the forms will be available online and on the party's website and other social media platforms. Those seeking 300 units of free electricity should fill up the form with the details of the existing power connection at home.

"While completing registration formalities, people should enter the name in which they have the electricity connection at their home for which the waiver is being sought," he said.

He said his party workers will also fan out in their respective booths with forms that people can fill up.

"Those who do not have a domestic electricity connection now and plan to get one in the future should also complete the registration using their Aadhaar card or ration card details of the individual in whose name the connection will be sought," the SP chief said.

Talking about the power supply in the present BJP government, Akhilesh said that the state government has misrepresented power consumer categories to claim that the number of industries has gone up and so has employment.

"The state government has calculated all commercial connections as industrial connections to claim that the number of industries has increased, where in fact they have counted all commercial establishments as industrial. This was done to calculate that because the number of industries has gone up, so more people have got employment. The fact is that all this calculation exists on paper," he said.