Roll Back Diesel Prices: YSRCP

Describing the Centre's decision of increasing diesel prices as lack of foresight, YSR Congress has demanded an immediate roll back of fares, and a shift of focus on infusing efficiency into the functioning of oil companies.

"Instead of looking into the performance of oil companies and plugging the loopholes, the Centre has been taking the easy path of passing on the burden on to consumers by increasing the prices of gas, power and petroleum products," party CGC member Dr M V Mysoora Reddy told reporters here on Saturday.

The hike in diesel prices will have a cascading effect and RTC charges will now be increased burdening the common man, said Mysura, going on to opine that the Mamohan Singh-led UPA has been time and again increasing oil prices in the name of under-recoveries, without going into the root of the problem and regulating the oil companies' functioning or looking at the subsidy angle.

A lack of clarity and foresight along with the inefficiency of the Centre has been causing the hike in petroleum prices, he said and demanded that the UPA government take long-standing measures to check the frequent price rise besides rolling back the diesel prices.

We condemn the hike in diesel charges and demand that oil companies need to be regulated to get better financial results, he said.

The argument of increasing prices to have international parity does not break any ice as the GDP of developed countries like USA and UK is far higher than that of developing countries like India. "Then why should they seek equality in prices only?," he challenged.

Brushing aside Vayalar Ravi's remarks on YSRCP, he said that people are ready to support Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy while Congress is in dire straits and has a bleak future in 2014. "We have the capacity go alone in the polls. We have said that we will not go with BJP and will back only secular parties. We did not specify which secular party we will support," said Mysura.

On Telangana, he said that YSRCP has made its point clear, and the stand of Congress has been dubious with two persons giving contrasting view points at the all-party meet.

However, they were unanimous in saying that they will abide by High Command's decision. The difference between the UPA government and Congress should be clearly defined, and Congress has to tell its opinion to the UPA government, he said. (INN)