Guntur: The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Monday launched a scathing attack on the coalition government, questioning its sudden U-turn on smart electricity meters and demanding accountability for rising power tariffs.

Releasing a detailed questionnaire to the Chief Minister, CPM leaders challenged the administration to explain why smart meters, once deemed “wrong,” are now being implemented, and called for an immediate halt to what they termed “false statements” by officials.

Addressing a press conference at the CPM district office here, CPM State Secretariat member Ch Babu Rao accused the ruling coalition of changing its stance on smart meters and resorting to “reprehensible” tactics by having officials issue false statements to avoid answering the public.

He said the coalition leaders and the Chief Minister, who once called smart meters wrong, must now explain to the people how they became right.

He challenged the government to clarify its stand on the smart meter and solar agreements with Adani and Shirdi Sai companies. He pointed out the apparent contradiction in replacing existing meters: “If there’s no difference between old meters and smart meters, why are 2-crore old meters being replaced. Why is Rs 25,000 crore being spent to procure them.”

He demanded that the Chief Minister must speak up on smart meters and the burden of adjustment charges and fulfil his promises. He condemned the practice of collecting additional “true-up” and adjustment charges five years after electricity consumption, a practice he described as “outrageous” and “unprecedented globally for any commodity.”

The CPM announced its support for statewide protests against smart meters and adjustment charges on August 5 at electricity offices. CPM District Secretary Y Netaji along with secretariat members Pasam Ramarao, Nalinikanth, Bhavannarayana, Apparao, Ravi and Burugu Venkateswarlu were also present.