Months before assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, electricity supply has shifted from a claimed success for the state government to a contentious political matter. Criticism of prepaid smart meters and anger over unplanned outages during peak summer have given opposition parties an issue that spans various social groups.
Since 2017, reliable power has been a central part of the ruling party’s messaging in the state. Officials often contrasted longer supply hours and wider connections with conditions under the prior administration.
With rising temperatures and more outage reports even in cities, opposition groups are highlighting differences between official statements and actual conditions.
Several ruling party legislators have also raised concerns. Some wrote to the power minister about extended cuts and local frustration. Specific lawmakers pointed to poor complaint handling and arbitrary disconnections that increased public discontent.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a review meeting with energy officials and ordered steps to maintain supply during extreme heat, including monitoring and action against lapses.
Opposition leaders accused the government of mismanagement despite prior claims of strong performance. One party chief described the situation as a major power failure and said officials were focused on damage control.
The power minister defended the record, stating the state had achieved its highest ever supply level above 31,700 MW. Technical teams were addressing faults and demand spikes, he said.
Other opposition figures warned of public hardship from outages and heat, urging relief measures. They also questioned the smart meter program and rising bills.
Officials attributed problems to surging demand and limits in distribution networks rather than generation shortfalls. Demand has grown substantially from earlier years.
