Petrol price increase after polls a political decision: Left

West Bengal's Left Front today said the Centre was waiting for the assembly elections in five states to end before announcing the rise in petrol prices and warned that prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene would also be increased soon.

"Following decontrol, petrol prices are increasing almost monthly. But since January, the price hike was kept on hold in view of the assembly elections in five states. Now, that the elections are over the prices have increased again. Clearly, the price rise was kept on hold for a few months for political reasons," the Left Front said in a statement.

It expressed fears that the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG would be increased within a short span of time.

Stating that the government was reluctant to restructure the VAT on oil imports, it said the increase would not have been necessary if the Centre had onpassed to the oil companies the cess it earned from the rise in petroleum products in the international market, the statement said.

While instructing its units to launch immediate protests against the petrol price hike, the Left parties would begin district wise campaigns once the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG were hiked, the statement said.