P Chidambaram Takes Swipe at Govt Over Petrol, Diesel Price Cut, Draws LPG Parallel

Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized the governments decision to reduce petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per liter, comparing it to the recent LPG price hike and subsequent reduction before elections.

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Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized the government's decision to reduce petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per liter, comparing it to a "sleight of hand" similar to the recent increase and subsequent reduction in LPG prices before the elections.

Price Cut After Two Years

State-owned oil companies ended a nearly two-year hiatus in rate revision, announcing a reduction in petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per liter. The revised prices will be effective from 6 am on Friday, March 15.

Chidambaram's Reaction

Responding to the development, Chidambaram stated that he had predicted the price reduction during a media briefing last week. He questioned whether the government would guarantee that prices would not increase again if the BJP retained power after the elections.

Comparison with LPG Price

Chidambaram drew parallels between the current petrol and diesel price cut and the recent increase and reduction in LPG cylinder prices. He accused the BJP government of increasing the LPG cylinder price by Rs 700 and then reducing it by Rs 100 just before the elections.

Revised Fuel Prices

In the national capital, petrol prices will decrease from Rs 96.72 per liter to Rs 94.72 per liter, while diesel prices will drop from Rs 89.62 per liter to Rs 87.62 per liter.

LPG Price Reduction

The price cut for petrol and diesel comes a week after the government announced a reduction of Rs 100 per cylinder in LPG cylinder prices.

Chidambaram's criticism highlights the political implications of fuel price adjustments and raises questions about the government's pricing policies, particularly in relation to upcoming elections.