The Congress on Monday alleged that two large electricity tenders in Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been designed to reduce the number of bidders and to “funnel more taxpayer revenues” to “Modani”.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the “tempo of decisions in BJP-ruled states aimed at enriching the prime minister’s close friends is picking up”.

“Two large electricity tenders in Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been designed entirely to reduce the number of bidders and to funnel more taxpayer revenues to Modani,” he said in a post on X.

Both state governments have issued tenders for the combined procuring of power across thermal and solar power sources, he pointed out.

“This joined-up procurement advantages the tiny number of large players (like Modani) who operate across both sectors. Splitting the procurement into two tenders would have enabled smaller players, particularly in the renewable energy sector, to compete,” he added.

Alleging that these tenders tie in perfectly with Modani’s planned investments, Ramesh said, “In Rajasthan, the tender specifies that the solar power must be procured from within the state and Modani already plans to build a solar plant there. Whereas in Maharashtra, the tender allows the power to be procured from anywhere, aligning neatly with “planned investments by Modani.”

“The consequences continue to be disastrous. It will stifle competition in a key industry, increase oligopolisation, and decrease the potential for lower prices in the long-term. As always, the PM’s friends will profit at the expense of consumers and taxpayers,” he alleged.

“And this is the kind of cronyism that the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra has chosen to pursue in its final days before it is booted out of power!”

The Congress has accused the Adani Group of financial irregularities and claims that the government is providing preferential treatment to boost the conglomerate’s profits.