Oil price hike: Left oppn worries Sonia

Congress President Sonia Gandhi is worried at the Left's belligerent attitude on the issue of hike in prices of petrol and related fuels.

Her worry is related to the fact that the Left is "running away" with the agenda of the government, threatening agitations and painting the Congress-led UPA government as anti-poor.

At a core committee meeting of the government on Friday, Gandhi put these concerns on the table before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior party leaders. According to a senior Congress leader present at the meeting, Gandhi spoke forcefully about "only going ahead when we can explain the reasons behind the price hike."

"She also said that fuels which were identified with the poor, like kerosene, and those with the rural, like diesel, should not be touched," said the senior leader.

A senior Cabinet minister had earlier stated that Petroleum Minister Murli Deora had made a strong pitch in several Cabinet meetings for raising the prices of petrol and diesel as well as LPG, but that the government was waiting for an "appropriate moment."

"With the principal ally of the government ready to take to the streets on the issue, it can be difficult for the government to explain to the people the reasons behind the hike," he said.

"International prices are up, but the government has already raised prices 3-4 times in the last two years. That's a bit difficult to take," he added.

The petrol price hike was dropped at the last minute from the Cabinet agenda on Friday after the Left politburo meeting decision to oppose the hike.

Government sources say that the hike is imminent, but with a diktat from 10, Janpath as well as from the Left, Deora is in a bit of a bind.