Palaniswami alleges ‘mega corruption’ in TVK’s power purchase

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami addressing a press meet at the party office in Omalur in Salem district on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. | Photo Credit: LAKSHMI NARAYANAN E

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday accused the TVK government of creating an artificial power shortage to procure electricity at higher rates, alleging that the move had raised public suspicions of “mega corruption”.

Speaking to reporters at the party office in Omalur, he said the government’s purchase of 4,400 MW from private companies at ₹35 a unit, after cancelling agreements entered into by the previous DMK government at ₹11 to ₹20 a unit over corruption allegations, raised questions about its decision. The government should have continued or extended the earlier agreements to avoid high-cost procurement, he said.

Citing the ₹2.48 lakh crore debt burden of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) as mentioned in the government’s white paper, he questioned the rationale behind purchasing electricity at higher rates.

He alleged that the government had delayed power procurement for four months, causing severe power cuts and hardship, before creating a situation in which electricity had to be purchased at any cost. Showing a video of Chief Minister and TVK leader C. Joseph Vijay criticising the DMK government’s high-cost power purchases during the April 2026 Assembly election campaign, he questioned why the TVK government was following the same practice.