Now, NCP too opposes oil price hike

After the Left and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, it is now the turn of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to join the chorus against the imminent petroleum price-hike proposed by the government.

In a resolution passed at its two-day National Convention in Surat today, the Sharad Pawar-headed NCP asked the government to "absorb at least a certain portion of the hike".

The resolution, proposed by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, expresses concerns over passing on the hike's burden to consumers. It contends that this will retard economic progress.

The resolution also calls for reforms with a "human touch".

However, it suggests that subsidies be given to farmers as support-price and that to consumers in the form of rations discontinued.

The government had deferred a price-hike in petrol and diesel products owing to opposition from the Left parties. After a series of meetings with Left leaders, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told them that the hike was inevitable.

Left leaders have maintained that the government should absorb the impact of the hike. The Left has said that even a marginal increase in the petroleum product prices will be opposed through nation-wide demonstrations and rallies.

RJD leader Lalu Yadav, who is gearing up for an election in Bihar, has said the hike should be minimum. Prasad is also against any increase in the prices of kerosene and LPG.