Ahead of the showdown with the State Government over its deal with National Thermal Power Corporation limited, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha rapped the Government through an ‘open letter’ and alleged favouring the public sector undertaking for the revival of Patratu Thermal Power Station (PTPS). The JVM also got unofficial support from AJSU Party as some of its leaders joined hands with the JVM on the issue.

As the JVM plans to take the matter of PTPS and a joint venture company as a result of Memorandum of Understanding between Jharkhand and NTPC, it alleged the MoU was tailor-made to suit the Government of India enterprise. Notably, the JVM is likely to organise a ‘panchayat’ (public meeting) at Patratu on June 5 to create a movement against the deal and seek review of the MoU.

“We will take the matter to the public and will organise a Maha Panchayat at Patratu. If the Government doesn’t wake up, we will increase the intensity of the protest and Government will be responsible for this,” said leader of the JVM legislature party, Pradeep Yadav.

The JVM’s open letter accuses Government of overlooking interests of Jharkhand and shunning the responsibility of reviving the unit through technical assistance, not choosing open market bidding, relying on the non-conforming methods of valuation as mentioned in Electricity Act 2003, foul play on the part of the high-level committee set up by the Government in making recommendations, surrendering the future recruitment of employees to the board of the joint venture company which will be dominated by NTPC, giving too much to the NTPC in asset and leeway through the MoU. “This letter is an open challenge to the Government and it doesn’t looks in the interest of Jharkhand. It gives a feeling that the MoU has been forced by the Central Government or the Government entered into deal because NTPC is an enterprise of the union government,” alleged Yadav.