The war over power is set to decide the power equation between the Centre and the politically volatile state of Uttar Pradesh. As the next assembly elections in the state get nearer, the barbs between the Congress ? which did exceptionally well in the recently held parliamentary elections ? and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which sees its dedicated vote bank, the Dalits, shifting base in favour of the Congress, get shriller and the allegations uglier.

And even as power riots break out in the districts, both the parties try scoring a point over the bleak scenario. In the latest, in the round of one-upmanship, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister has accused the Congress for the dismal power situation in the state.

Releasing a White Paper on the power scenario, titled ?Let the people decide who is responsible for the power crisis in UP?, Mayawati said despite severe resource constraints, her government has been taking steps and the power problem is slated to end by 2014. ?This paper states facts proving how Congress and leaders of other parties are taking recourse in lies to tarnish the image of the state government?, Mayawati said adding that her government had undertaken more development work in its two years? tenure than what Congress had done in its 40 years of power in the state.

Rejecting the Congress allegation that funds meant for development work in the state were being diverted for setting up memorials, statues and parks, she said no development work has been halted because of these constructions.

In fact, it was on the provocation of Rahul Gandhi?s allegation in Amethi on Friday, in which he had said that the state government was more concerned in installing statues rather than setting up power plants that a visibly rattled chief minister released the White Paper on the power scenario in the state in the midst of newspersons.

In the booklet, the chief minister said that even though power generation in the state had risen from the meagre 15.5 mw in 1947 to 4700 mw till 1989, the generation has been stalled since then. ?If one leaves aside 10 months of BSP rule between 1989 and 2002, the only addition was that of 1000 mw Anpara-B. But, that too went off the state ambit following the carving out of the Uttarakhand in 2000.?

Blaming the BJP for further aggravating the crisis by handing over the 420 mw Unchhahar thermal power station and the 440 mw Tanda thermal power station to NTPC in 1992 and 2000 respectively, Mayawati said it was due to these wrong decisions that the state happens to be in a pitiable position of being able to provide only 6500 mw of power as against the demand of 7500-8000 mw.

In order to offset this inadequacym, she stated, her government has gone all out to address the issue by installing newer plants, but for this, adequate fuel is needed.

?The government has requested the Centre ?many times?? for allocation of coal beds to landlocked states like UP, so that these proposed thermal power stations see the light of the day, she said, adding, in the absence of which timely completion of the projects would be at stake. The Paper also criticises the Gadgil Formula, according to which power is allocated to states by the Centre at present.

Insisting that power allocation be done on the basis of demand, the paper said the state has an installed capacity of 8700 mw of which the state gets only 2600 to 2700 mw of power. Similarly, the entire northern region has an installed capacity of 20,000 mw.