Naidu, Pawan Kalyan Lauded BJP Decision On Fuel Price Cuts

TDP national president and former AP CM Naidu lauded the central govt for providing relief to the people by reducing the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. Naidu also welcomed the BJP’s call to state govt to decrease state-level taxes to reduce the burden on people.

Pointing out that Orissa, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu govt had reduced their respective taxes on fuel, the TDP chief demanded that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy govt follow suit.

Naidu's statement comes a day after Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan hints in a public meeting he would try to persuade BJP leadership to agree to a tie-up between BJP, TDP, and Jana Sena for the next elections. Leaders of the BJP did not respond.

According to Pawan Kalyan, opposition parties in AP should form an anti-YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) alliance so that the anti-government vote is not split. If it splits, YSRCP would come to power again in 2024, and that would plunge the state into darkness.

Both Naidu and Pawan Kalyan said that it was now the state government’s turn to reduce prices. They said that the Centre had cut excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre on petrol and by Rs 6 per litre on diesel. “Many states responded to the Centre’s call and Andhra Pradesh should also follow,” Naidu said.

“On one hand, the people of AP are facing difficulties travelling on damaged roads. On the other, they are hit hard with repairs to their vehicles. In spite of the bad situation, road repairs are not taken up. I request that the YSRCP government considers people’s demands to reduce the local cess on petrol and diesel and give them relief,” Pawan Kalyan said.