The Congress on Friday criticised the Central Government led by Narendra Modi over the sharp increase in commercial LPG cylinder prices, with Rahul Gandhi calling it an ‘election bill’, and warning that petrol and diesel could be next.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he had earlier cautioned that inflationary pressures would intensify after the elections. “Today, commercial gas cylinders have become Rs 993 more expensive. This is the biggest single-day hike and amounts to an election bill,” Gandhi wrote in Hindi on X.
He pointed out that since February, prices have risen by Rs 1,380—an increase of 81 per cent in just three months. “Tea stalls, 'dhabas', hotels, bakeries, sweet shops—every kitchen is under pressure, and this will inevitably affect what reaches your plate,” he said. Gandhi added that the first blow has been on cooking gas, and the next could be on petrol and diesel.
The Congress also alleged that the government’s concern for ordinary citizens is limited to election periods, after which people are left to deal with rising costs on their own.
Also read: Commercial, mini LPG prices hiked by ₹993 and ₹261
In a post on X, party general secretary K. C. Venugopal said the government moved quickly to raise LPG prices once the election cycle ended. He noted that the nearly Rs 1,000 hike in commercial cylinders would affect millions who depend on affordable food from small eateries, while also placing a heavy burden on small food businesses.
Venugopal added that the government failed to prepare a strategy to shield citizens from price shocks despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia. “In the three months since the Iran war began, there should have been a solid plan to protect ordinary Indians instead of passing on the burden,” he said.
Earlier this week, Gandhi had warned that fuel prices would rise after the assembly elections concluded on April 29. He also accused the government of benefiting from earlier low global crude prices and now shifting the burden onto the public as prices climb. “Election relief is over and inflation is set to rise. After April 29, petrol, diesel, everything will become costlier,” he had said, alleging that the government profits when crude prices are low, but passes on costs when they increase.
On Friday, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder—used by hotels and restaurants—was raised by Rs 993, the steepest increase ever in a single revision. This marks the third consecutive monthly hike, driven by rising global energy prices linked to tensions in West Asia.
In Delhi, the cost of a 19-kg cylinder has risen to a record Rs 3,071.5, up from Rs 2,078.50. Previously, prices were increased by Rs 195.50 on April 1 and by Rs 114.5 on March 1. Domestic LPG prices, used in household kitchens, remain unchanged for now. The last revision was on March 7, when prices were increased by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder. In Delhi, a domestic cylinder currently costs Rs 913.
State-run fuel retailers such as Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum revise LPG and ATF prices on the first day of each month, based on global benchmarks and exchange rates. Meanwhile, global crude oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent in recent months due to disruptions in energy supply chains caused by the conflict in West Asia.
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