New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) The Congress on Friday referred to a former Union minister's allegation of a power scam in Bihar, saying the people in the state are going to reject the NDA as they have come to know the system is being "remote controlled." KC Venugopal, in a post on X, alleged that the Adani Group received "red carpet treatment" in Bihar and asserted that the corruption would be uncovered.

The political row in Bihar has elicited no reaction from the government or the BJP.

The Bihar government awarded the 2,400 MW Bhagalpur (Pirpainti) power project to Adani Power Ltd after a competitive bidding in which the Ahmedabad-based company quoted a lower electricity tariff than three other bidders, including Torrent Power and JSW Energy, sources have said.

"Mr RK Singh served as Union power minister from 2017 to 2024. He is now exposing a Rs 60,000 crore scam being carried out because the PM has given red carpet treatment to Adani in Bihar. The proposal for Bihar to purchase power at an inflated price of Rs 6/unit is yet another example of a complete drain of wealth from the poor and middle classes into the coffers of Modi's cronies," Venugopal claimed.

"The people are rejecting the NDA in these elections, because they know that the entire system being remote controlled from PMO is nothing more than a loot machine for Adani and the like," he alleged, adding, "This corruption will be exposed and those involved will be brought to book." Venugopal's accusations came a day after the first phase of polling in Bihar went underway. The second phase is scheduled for November 11.

The Bihar government had floated an open tender for the Bhagalpur project to meet the state's electricity demand, projected to double to over 17,000 MW by 2034-35.

Four qualified bidders participated in the tender, with Adani Power quoting the lowest electricity tariff of Rs 6.075 per kWh (or per unit), sources with direct knowledge of the bidding process said.

The company's tariff quote comprised a fixed charge of Rs 4.165 and a fuel charge of Rs 1.91 per unit. PTI SKC SVN VN

Bhagalpur power project award sparks allegations of preferential treatment in public procurement and questions on tariff integrity. Allegations concern the award of the 2,400 MW Bhagalpur power project after an open competitive tender in which Adani Power quoted the lowest tariff of Rs 6.075 per kWh; critics claim the procurement involved preferential treatment and a large-scale transfer of public wealth to private interests, raising issues of public procurement integrity, tariff composition in the power purchase arrangement, and administrative oversight, while authorities have not publicly responded.