"Strange nexus" between Congress and price rise: Nitish

Patna, June 2 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today alleged that the policies of Congress-led UPA government at the Centre were responsible for the price hike of essential commodities across the country.

Mr Kumar told newspersons here after the 'janta durbar' that there was a "strange nexus" between the Congress and price hike as whenever the party came to power at the Centre, prices of essential commodities witnessed quantum jump, causing immense hardships to the masses.

Tracing the history, Mr Kumar said the price was controlled successfully by the Janta Party government when the Congress was voted out of power in the Lok Sabha elections held in March 1977.

Similarly, price rise was checked whenever non-Congress party or alliance was voted to power at the Centre in the post 1977 era, he added.

The Chief Minister termed the allegations of the UPA government regarding the failure of the states in taking appropriate action to check price rise "rubbish" and said the power to control prices was vested with the Union Government.

''If the Centre is making such allegation, it should also specify the powers that the states can use to check the price rise,'' he quipped.

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