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UP leaders across parties raise alarm over heatwave power cuts
23 May 2026

Uttar Pradesh is facing a major power crisis this summer, with widespread outages across the state.

The situation has led to street protests and political backlash from both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition leaders.

BJP MLA Prateek Bhushan Singh wrote to state Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma about a "serious electricity crisis" in Gonda district, affecting residents' daily lives and businesses.

Emergency mechanism for uninterrupted power supply demanded
Power plea

Singh acknowledged technical challenges like overloaded transformers and snapped wires, but stressed public anger over prolonged outages.

He demanded an emergency mechanism for uninterrupted power supply, especially at night.

Another BJP MLA, Nirmal Verma, also wrote to Sharma about continuous scheduled power cuts in Sitapur district affecting trade and agriculture.

Former CM Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati speak up
Political criticism

Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP government for not strengthening power infrastructure.

He asked people not to blame linemen and junior staff who are under pressure after mass contractual layoffs.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also criticized the power situation, calling it "extremely distressing" for various sections of society.

She urged immediate corrective measures and long-term improvements through new power plants.

Power minister speaks on crisis
Demand surge

Power Minister Sharma acknowledged record-breaking electricity demand due to the heatwave, with peak demands reaching over 30,000MW.

He said efforts are on to arrange power from all available sources and sought consumer cooperation during this time.

The crisis has also affected rural areas where supply norms are not being met due to breakdowns and manpower shortages in maintenance teams.