BJP has to be defeated completely to bring down fuel prices by Rs 50: Raut

Mumbai: A day after the Centre slashed the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the BJP has to be defeated completely if the fuel prices have to be brought down by Rs 50.

Slamming the Centre, Raut, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra, told reporters that one really needs to be harsh to raise the fuel prices to over Rs 100.

Petrol prices in the country were over Rs 100 for some time now.

On Wednesday, the central government cut the excise duty on petrol and diesel by a record Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively, to help bring down rates from their highest-ever levels The move came a day after the BJP lost bypolls in some states controlled by it.

Raut said the reduction of price by Rs 5 is not going to serve any purpose and it should have been brought down first by at least Rs 25, and then Rs 50.

“After the BJP’s defeat in the bypolls, the Centre reduced the fuel prices by Rs 5. If the price has to be brought down by Rs 50, then the BJP must be defeated completely,” he aid.

The Rajya Sabha member claimed people have to celebrate Diwali after taking a loan and there is no atmosphere of festivity because of the inflation.

Following the Centre’s decision to reduce the excise duty, many states, especially those ruled by the BJP, also slashed the Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuels.

The BJP lost all the three Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh and Mandi Lok Sabha seat in the northern state, bypolls for which were held on October 30.

It also failed to win Delgur Assembly bypoll in Maharashtra and the neighbouring Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seat by-election.