Fuel price cut by Centre eyewash, says Andhra minister

Amaravati, Nov  (IANS) Andhra Pradesh's Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Venkateswara Rao on Tuesday said that the slash of fuel prices by the Centre is only an eyewash, as the BJP was defeated in most of the by-elections across the country and lost their deposit in Andhra Pradesh.

The minister recalled that the Centre increased the prices of petrol and diesel despite the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market. He pointed out that the fuel rates have gone up to Rs 110 from Rs 70 per litre. The Centre cut the price only Rs 10 even though the hike was almost Rs 40, he said.

Addressing a press conference, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader said the BJP leaders were propagating as if they have achieved something big, while the common people were suffering with the abnormal fuel rates.

Nani, as the minister is popularly known, stated that the BJP had lost deposits in both Badvel and Tirupati bypolls, and became a "silly" party in the state, indulging in cheap politics by creating differences between castes and religions. He questioned the BJP leaders if they analysed the reason behind losing the deposits.

The BJP suffered the defeat for creating a malicious propaganda against the State government's initiatives, he said.

Referring to the TDP leaders' protest at petrol bunks, he alleged that the previous TDP government had imposed a surcharge of Rs 2 on the fuel prices and looted almost Rs 10,000 crore from the public for over four and a half years. He clarified that the current government had only levied Rs 1 for repairing roads that were terribly neglected during the TDP rule.

The minister dared TDP President Chandrababu Naidu to stage a protest in Delhi as it was the Centre which hiked the fuel prices. He alleged that the TDP leaders' protest at petrol bunks was only to create a law and order issue.