Bhopal: Honouring Election Commission's directive to suspend power freebies, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh today (November 11) said waiver of farmers' dues would be stopped till completion of election process and asserted it would have no adverse impact on Congress' poll prospects.

"In compliance with the EC order, we have decided to suspend issuance of zero bills to farmers till formation of new Government after the Assembly elections. But it will not affect our electoral prospects", Singh told reporters.

The Chief Minister said the Election Commission has not cast any aspersions on the decision of the state Government to waive electricity bills of farmers using pump sets upto five HP capacity as also to single point consumers.

"The Commission has only sought postponement of its implementation", he said, adding that it has also not treated the decision as a violation of the model code of conduct.

Singh said if Congress emerges victorious in the December 1 elections, the next Government would continue to provide compensation to the MP State Electricity Board (MPSEB).

"Even the MP Electricity Regulatory Commission (MPREC) has made it clear that the state Government is competent to take a decision on waiving of electricity bills of farmers and the state Government wanted to compensate the MPSEB as per the suggestions of the MPREC", he said.

Singh had announced in September that, electricity bill of farmers and urban poor between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2003 would be waived. Thereafter, MPREB had asked the state Government to issue "zero bills" to farmers and submit a payment plan on how MPSEB would be compensated.

PTI