Noida, Jun 22 (PTI) Stating that the people of Uttar Pradesh are struggling for a basic facility like electricity, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here on Thursday demanded that the BJP government provide 24-hour free power supply in the state on the lines of Delhi.

The AAP raised its demand during a demonstration here as part of a statewide agitation against frequent power outages. The protest was held at a time when large parts of the state are reeling under sweltering heat and facing power cuts.

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However, parts of Uttar Pradesh also witnessed rainfall during the last seven days.

On Thursday, AAP workers and office-bearers led by local chief Bhuendra Singh Jadaun protested at the Noida city magistrate's office and handed over to him a memorandum of their demands.

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Jadaun said, "The Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi is providing 24-hour electricity to the people of Delhi.... The people of Uttar Pradesh want to know from the Yogi Adityanath government that when the people of Delhi can get free and uninterrupted 24-hour electricity, why the people of Uttar Pradesh are not able to get it.”

The AAP leader took a jibe at the BJP government, saying the party had promised free power supply to the people of UP before the state elections but it has turned out to be one more of their "jumla".

The AAP claimed that the “double engine” government of the BJP at the Centre and in UP has “failed to fulfil the basic needs of the people like electricity in the 21st century”.

Citing the death of several patients in Ballia district recently amid heat wave conditions, Jaduan said, “Unannounced power cuts make people suffer and people in the entire state are facing the crisis of load shedding.”

He also cited figures to claim that the power production in Uttar Pradesh was much lesser than the consumption in the state while the electricity department is working with a shortage of staff.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)