The UPA Government has begun to feel the political heat on account of the price rise, despite an admirable growth rate of over 9 per cent.
NEW DELHI: The UPA Government has begun to feel the political heat on account of the price rise from party-men and allies, despite an admirable growth rate of over 9 per cent.
According to allies and Congressmen, the feel-good factor in the Finance Ministry and corporate circles is in sharp contrast to the plight of the Congress’ Aam Aadmi reeling under the pressure of rising prices.
Disturbingly for the government, the loudest protestors are its allies, the CPI (M), the RJD and the NCP, not the Opposition parties.
The heat is now being felt in government circles as well and several ministers have raised the issue with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
Congress leaders have told the party leadership that the governments’ inability to control the price hike has hit the party’s political fortunes hard. There are talks of raising the issue at the meeting of the Executive of the Congress Parliamentary Party next week.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also raised the issue with PM Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee.
Meanwhile, the Left parties have blamed the “wrong” policies of the UPA Government and sought urgent steps like ban on futures trading to mitigate the burden on people.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury has urged the government to revise ad valorem duty structure on petro-products and initiate urgent measures to boost food grain production and ensure adequate procurement to check galloping inflation. “Failure to do so will cost the government and the ruling combine,” he said.
The BJP said that this reflected the government’s failure to politically manage the economy.
“The government actions are too little and too late. Political expediency is no substitute for sound economics. The recent measures by the government are a knee-jerk reaction and will not be able to contain the inflation,” said party spokesman Prakash Jawadekar.
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