NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister, Vijay, has publicly criticized the BJP-led central government over its recent decision to raise petrol prices following the completion of assembly elections in five states. He described the government’s action as “unacceptable” and has demanded a rollback of the price increase.
On Friday, petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 3 per litre, coinciding with a rise in global crude oil prices. This decision has faced backlash from opposition leaders, including the Lok Sabha leader of the opposition, who stated, “The mistake is the Modi government’s; the public will pay the price. The Rs 3 jolt has already arrived, and the rest of the recovery will be done in installments.”
This price hike comes 16 days after the conclusion of assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Throughout the polling period, fuel rates remained unchanged, despite a significant spike in global oil prices driven by ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Last recorded adjustments to fuel prices occurred in April 2022, where rates largely remained stable until a brief reduction of Rs 2 per litre for both petrol and diesel in March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
