Fearing debacle in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Congress MPs Sanjay Nirupam and Priya Dutt today led a protest march for the reduction in power tariffs in Mumbai.

Congress workers marched at the Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra) office in Kandivli, north Mumbai to press for cut in the power tariff. Nirupam has also threatened an indefinite fast.

Interestingly, Congress had won 5 seats while one by its co-partner NCP in Greater Mumbai during 2009 elections.

However, both the parties believe that it would be difficult to retain the supremacy in six Lok Sabha seats in the coming general elections largely in view of anti incumbency and burgeoning discontent against inflation, high power tariff and deteriorating infrastructure especially in Mumbai.

Congress and NCP, which contested the elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation in February 2012 without any alliance, failed to dislodge the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.

Nirupam had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding a cut in power tariff, asking if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi can do so why the same can't be done in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Nirupam had also written to R-Infra chairman Anil Ambani asking him to be present during the agitation to address the public and explain his company's position. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has already assured to look into the issue citing that industries minister Narayan Rane led committee has submitted its report on tariff cut.

Apart from R-Infra, Tata Power and Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply & transport, an arm of Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation supply power in Mumbai.

In its response to Nirupam's letter, R-Infra said tariffs for all distribution licensees in Maharashtra are determined by MERC (Maharashtra Electricity Commission) as per Electricity Act 2003.

The Supreme Court has also ruled that determination of tariff should be left to the said expert body (MERC) and ordinarily High Court and even Supreme court should not interfere with the determination of tariff. Current tariff of RInfra consumers are determined by MERC through its order dated August 22, 2013 after publishing advertisement in prominent newspaper and conducting public hearing.

This revision had been made after a period of more than 4 years. Fixed charges are part of tariff determined by MERC. ''To supply 24 x7 power to our consumer, we have to permanently maintain the required infrastructure (physical as well as employees, administration) and service financial obligations (loans, taxes etc) all of which comprises of fixed cost,'' R-Infra added.

Today's march comes barely four days after the saffron Shiv Sena had taken out morcha at the R-Infra's office demanding cut in the power tariff. As reported by BS, Sena has threatened to close R Infra's collection centres if the company fails to approach the government in a fortnight with a proposal to cut tariff and provide subsidy for the same.

Tata Power has a consumer base of 4,25,000 of which nearly 2,50,000 are residential consumers of which about 1,00,000 are with monthly consumption up to 500 units.

As far as Reliance Infrastructure is concerned, of the total consumers of 2.8 million, 2.3 million are residential of which 1.7 million consume up to 500 units per month. In case of BEST, which is a part of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, it has a consumer base of 1 million of which 7,65,000 are residential and nearly 6,60,000 consumers have monthly consumption up to 300 units.