Cut in petrol, diesel prices an electoral lollipop, says Cong

PETROL PRICE WAS HIKED BY 18 PAISE A LITRE ON OCTOBER 6 AND 14 PAISE ON SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO DAILY PRICE NOTIFICATION ISSUED BY STATEOWNED OIL FIRMS

NEWDELHI: With petrol and diesel prices continuing to rise, the Congress on Sunday termed the ₹ 2.5 a litre cut in the fuel prices by the Centre an “electoral lollipop” aimed at the five pollbound states. The party asked the Narendra Modi government to bring petroleum products under the GST regime.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said oil prices depend upon electoral calendar as they remained unchanged for 17 days during Karnataka assembly polls, and similar pattern was seen during Gujarat polls.

“We reiterate our demand to bring in petroleum products under the ambit of GST so as to completely demolish this sheer hypocrisy of credit seeking just before electoral season,” said Khera.

Petrol and diesel prices were cut by ₹2.50 on October 5 when the government’s only second cut in excise duty of ₹1.50 per litre and state-owned fuel retailers providing a ₹1 per litre subsidy came into effect. But the prices started rising the very next day. Petrol price was hiked by 18 paise a litre on October 6 and 14 paise on Sunday, according to daily price notification issued by state-owned oil firms. Diesel rates were hiked by 29 paise a litre each on October 6 and Sunday.

Khera claimed that the oil companies have made over ₹13 lakh crore. On state assembly polls, Khera said that the party’s leadership had gone with its state units’ assessment of the prevailing ground situation.