The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has announced a statewide protest following the government's decision to increase fuel prices for the fourth time in 15 days. Party chief Sharad Pawar chaired a core committee meeting in Mumbai on Monday, where discussions centered on the upcoming MLC elections, the fuel price hike, rising inflation, and the inadequate returns to farmers for their agricultural produce.
Fuel Price Hike and Public Anger
NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde expressed concern that the public would bear the brunt of continuously rising fuel prices. He alleged that the government deliberately increased prices in phases to minimize public backlash. "The government thought that by increasing fuel prices gradually, people would not realize the impact. However, there is already significant anger over failed government policies, which have led to the fuel price hike," Shinde said.
Shinde further claimed that the government intends to raise fuel prices by at least Rs 20 per litre. "While increasing prices, the government is also trying to suppress opposition voices by imposing restrictions on protest rallies. But our party will continue to raise issues of public concern and will hold statewide protests," he added.
MLC Elections and Alliance Discussions
The core committee also deliberated on the upcoming MLC elections. Shinde revealed that preliminary discussions were held regarding the seats the party intends to contest, compared to those contested in the previous election. "Representatives of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will hold another discussion on May 27, after which a final decision on seat sharing will be taken," he stated.
The party's protest is expected to draw attention to the economic challenges faced by citizens, including inflation and low farm incomes, as well as the government's fuel pricing policy.
