BJP smells conspiracy over petroleum issue

Bhopal, Nov 22 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today suspected an ''economic conspiracy'' by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime in not rolling back petroleum prices despite international crude price sliding to 44 dollars a barrel.

''Finance Minister P Chidambaram assured Parliament that petro products' prices will be brought down when the crude price declined to 47 dollars. An economic conspiracy is suspected as the government has not rolled back prices even after reduction in oil price by 101 dollars a barrel,'' BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters here today.

The former Union minister revealed that apart from the general and railway budgets, the Centre had a ''hidden budget'' mentioning oil pool account and subsidy that are not reflected in the general budget. The Congress-led regime is responsible for inflation as it did not reduce petro products' prices despite a drastic fall in crude oil price in the international market, Mr Kumar added.

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