Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, speaking on Saturday (October 4, 2025), launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government. Referring to the upcoming power plant in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, in election-bound Bihar, Kumar declared, “The vote thief government is also a land thief.”
Kumar elaborated on his accusation, stating, “For days, there was buzz about a land survey in Bihar, with people diligently visiting local block offices, clutching their land deeds. However, it now appears the government’s true intention was to identify land for seizure and then hand it over to their favored associates. How else can one explain over 1,000 acres of land in Bhagalpur being allocated to the Adani Group for this power project at a mere ₹1 per acre?” These pointed questions were posed during a press conference at the party headquarters in Sadaqat Ashram, Patna.
He further highlighted that while the power project was initially conceptualized and started by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, it was subsequently transferred to the Adani Group under what he described as “questionable terms.”
Accompanying Mr. Kumar at the press briefing were party MLA Shakeel Ahmad Khan and spokesperson Rajesh Rathore.
Echoing these concerns, Congress leader Pawan Khera had previously alleged a consistent pattern: “Whenever and wherever Assembly elections approach, and the BJP senses it might lose, they resort to showering such ‘gifts’ on the Adani Group.”
Khera cited examples from Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, where he claimed power projects were granted to the Adani Group ahead of state elections. “This pattern suggests that whenever the BJP anticipates electoral defeat, the Adani Group receives these preferential deals,” he asserted.
Kanhaiya Kumar also raised questions about the pricing structure of the power project. He pointed out, “In other states, the Adani Group secures power contracts at a fixed rate of ₹3 to ₹3.5 per unit, yet here in Pirpainti, Bihar, they have been awarded the contract at ₹6 per unit.”
The project, anticipated to be operational within five years, involves a 2,400 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power plant in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district. Kumar alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar “handed over” 1,050 acres of land for this project to the Adani Group, formalized by a Letter of Award.
“The government acquired land from farmers at old rates but then sold it to the business conglomerate at inflated, new rates,” he asserted, describing this as a blatant “violation of the land agreement.”
Adding to the criticism, a delegation from the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) recently visited Pirpainti to assess the thermal power project and its impact on local farmers. Their subsequent report corroborated allegations of the government violating land agreements and highlighted the severe distress of farmers whose lands were acquired for the venture.
“This power project is projected to yield immense profits, approximately one lakh crore rupees, which will now enrich Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coffers instead of benefiting the common people of Bihar,” Mr. Kumar claimed. He further alleged that the project, originally intended as a joint venture between the state and central governments, saw the Modi government at the Centre subsequently withdraw its support.
Previously, reports indicated that the thermal power company had entered into a 25-year Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with the Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (BSPGCL). This agreement was for supplying electricity from its forthcoming thermal power project in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, approximately 300 km from Patna. The agreement in August followed a Letter of Award (LoA) from BSPGCL to Adani Power.
The Pirpainti thermal power project is touted to create between 10,000 and 12,000 direct and indirect job opportunities during its construction, with an additional 3,000 permanent positions once it becomes operational. The crucial coal supply for the plant has been secured under the Central government’s SHAKTI (Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyla Transparently in India) policy, which aims to ensure a transparent and efficient fuel supply for power producers.