I have never met Adani, says Tamil Nadu CM Stalin raising pitch for JPC probe

Responding to a question raised by PMK leader G K Mani in the Assembly, Stalin said he had no connection whatsoever with the industrialist whom the PMK and the BJP were spreading a 'misinformation' campaign that he had links.

Chennai: Categorically refuting that he met Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday sought to know the BJP’s response to demand by I.N.D.I.A. bloc for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into alleged irregularities by the industrialist. 

 “Neither Adani met nor I met him. Do you need any more explanation on this?” Stalin asked G K Mani of the Paatali Makkal Katchi, a BJP ally, who raised a question on the alleged links between Adani Group and the Tamil Nadu government. 

Stalin’s statements put to rest speculation that Adani met him at his Chennai residence earlier this year and discussed power projects in the state. Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji had in November clarified that the Tamil Nadu government has no “business relationship” with the Adani Group and dismissed speculation about Stalin’s meeting with Gautam Adani. 

The Chief Minister, while asserting that the state electricity department hasn’t entered into any deal with Adani, sought to turn the tables on the PMK and BJP which have been demanding a statement from the DMK government on the issue. 

“We have clarified about the issue. But I want to ask a question here to PMK and BJP. MPs of the Opposition bloc are demanding a JPC probe into the allegations against Adani. Are they ready for such a probe? Will they answer?” Stalin asked. 

Opposition parties, especially the PMK, and activists have been alleging that Adani met Stalin and wanted a clarification from the Chief Minister. 

Balaji had on November 21 said the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) doesn’t have any “business relationship” with the Adani Group and that the state government entered into an agreement only with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for purchase of solar power at a “cheap price.”

The minister had said that the TNEB signed an agreement with SECI, a public sector undertaking of the Union Government, for purchase of solar power at Rs 2.61 per unit. The agreement between TNEB and SECI was signed on September 16, 2021, for a period of 25 years after the proposal was cleared by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission on September 7.

Balaji was responding to allegations recorded in a US court that the Adani Group promised bribes to Indian government officials between July 2021 and February 2022 following which electricity distribution firms from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir entered into pacts with SECI for purchase of solar power. 

 Adani Group, which has varied business interests in Tamil Nadu, had in January this year pledged an investment of over Rs 42,700 crore, including Rs 24,500 crore Adani Green Energy Ltd in three pump storage projects (PSP) in the next five to seven years.