Font Size 
Congress in a fix over fuel price hike
Published on Wed, Jun 07, 2006 at 09:17, Updated on Wed, Jun 07, 2006 at 15:43 in section
Tags: Fuel Price, Hike , New Delhi
New Delhi: The fuel price hike has put Congress in a tight spot.
For a party that claims to be the benefactor of the aam aadmi (common man), the controversial price hike has created a dilemma of having to choose between economics and politics.
While Petroleum Minister Murli Deora is appealing to the BJP and the Left parties to understand the reasons behind the hike, it is his own party that he needs to convince first.
Voices of dissent in party can now be heard clearly and many in Congress are now wondering aloud whether the "steep" price hike will betray the trust of the common man.
The criticism of the government is quite vocal and candid. "The oil hike is too steep. It will put onerous burden on the common man," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
The worry of Congress is real, as the party is preparing for elections in Uttar Pradesh next year and doesn't want to antagonise the common man.
At a meeting with the Prime Minister last week, party president Sonia Gandhi had emphasized on the need to keeping "common man" in focus when crucial decisions like oil price hike are taken.
However, the Left parties are bent upon some serious arm-twisting tactics. Despite making a clean sweep in West Bengal and Kerala elections, they are not giving up on the protests and have decided on a countrywide agitation against the price hike on June 13.
"The price hike is unjustified and we oppose this hike," Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja said.
And it is this Left pressure that is adding to Congress woes. The BJP, which has been lying low in the aftermath of the sensational Mahajan drug saga, sees this is as an opportunity to play politics and deflect media attention.
"The Congress and Left are a burden on the common man," BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
But Prime Minister seems to be in a tough mood despite the outcry from the Left and from within the own party.
The Government's logic is that rising global oil prices have tied its hands and there are no options available.
(With inputs from Meetu Jain and Divyamanu Choudhary.)
| Ads by Google |
| Related Ads: | |
Read Comment | Post Comment
Be the first to comment.