“How can others get involved, we have dealt with SECI,” Jagan Reddy defends solar deal

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former prime minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has strongly defended the power sale agreement with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and rejected the recent allegations leveled against him by the media. While speaking at Tadepalli in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, he stated that the deal involving purchase of power at ₹2.49 per unit was entered into between the central government represented by SECI and the state government, without any third party involvement. He described the accusations of bribery and corruption as baseless and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation. Reddy made it clear that he would take legal action against local media that spread these “wild and false allegations”. He said if the newspapers did not issue a public apology within 48 hours, he would file a defamation suit seeking damages of ₹ 100 crore. The US indictment of eight Adani Group officials named Andhra Pradesh as one of the states where officials were allegedly bribed. The transaction took place during the term of office of Prime Minister Jagan Reddy.