Petrol price hike fuels

EW DELHI: Angry UPA partners did some tightrope walking on the Centre's sudden announcement of a monstrous petrol price hike, but key Congress's alliance partner, Trinamool Congress, pulled no punches, calling the hike a result of "mismanagement of the economy".

A somewhat muted DMK demanded an immediate roll-back. But Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who on Tuesday shared the dais with the UPA leadership at the Prime Minister's dinner, sarcastically said that this was the government's gift to the people.

"We feel let down. I learnt of the hike from the media," said a bristling Mamata Banerjee. "Why are alliance partners kept in the dark? Many important issues are not discussed before they are implemented. This is unfortunate," she said.

Mamata also stressed that "something major was wrong with the economy" and that the UPA was mismanaging it. She also questioned the timing of the massive petrol price hike. "The government could have given a hint during the Parliament session. It hiked the prices a day after the House was adjourned," she said. At the same time, she said would not pull out of the UPA for the sake of political stability.

"We are not going to pull out of the UPA and topple the government," she said, adding, "That would add to the political instability and force another election which will again lead to economic instability. We are committed to supporting the UPA for five years. But that does not mean we won't raise our voice."

Mulayam Singh slammed the Centre saying, "The hike is the UPA's gift to the people on its completion of three years in office."

Opposing the price hike, RJD leader Lalu Prasad said he would soon meet finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and demand a roll-back. "The increase in the price of petrol is an additional burden on people already badly hit by price rise," said Lalu.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi also said his party MPs would ask the Centre for an immediate roll-back. He, however, was muted in his criticism. Asked whether the Centre had consulted the DMK before the price hike, Karunanidhi said, "Such decisions are not discussed with allies. Certain decisions are taken depending on the situation."

Karunanidhi pointed out that Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, too, did not consult her allies before hiking the price of certain commodities and services.

Jayalalithaa called the hike anti-people and blamed the UPA's 'wrong economic policies' for price rise, the rupee's depreciation and the economic slowdown. "The hike could have been avoided by reducing the profit of the government and private oil companies," she said.

"I urge the Centre to roll back the hike immediately. Otherwise, the tears of the people will become a weapon that would cause the fall of the anti-people Congress coalition soon," warned Jayalalithaa.