Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 1 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday accused the Centre of hiking commercial LPG cylinder prices immediately after Assembly elections, calling it 'organised looting'.

In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 993 on May 1, taking the cost to Rs 3,071.50 per cylinder. He alleged the Centre had 'deliberately' held back the hike during the election period.

'As we warned all along, the moment Assembly elections got over, the Narendra Modi government has hiked prices again. The price of commercial LPG cylinders has been increased by Rs 993 on May 1, taking the cost to Rs 3,071.50 per cylinder - after deliberately holding back such increases during the election period,' he said.

https://x.com/siddaramaiah/status/2050124949382451669?s=20

Criticising PM Modi, Siddaramaiah claimed that instead of protecting Indian citizens, the Prime Minister burdens them with raised prices, underlining that he failed to protect the economy, and the citizens are paying for it.

'In just four months, the Modi government has increased commercial LPG cylinder prices six times, pushing the total burden up by Rs 1,518. This is not governance - this is organised looting. Every time global conditions change, instead of protecting Indian citizens, Modi simply passes the burden on to them. His much-publicised but hollow foreign policy has failed to shield our economy, and now ordinary Indians are paying the price for it,' he stated in the post.

Siddaramaiah said the hike would not just affect businesses but also households, as hotels, restaurants, small eateries and catering services would be forced to raise prices

'This hike will not just affect businesses - it will hit every household. Hotels, restaurants, small eateries, and catering services will be forced to increase prices, making everyday food more expensive. The urban working class, daily wage earners, and small business owners will suffer the most. From a cup of tea to a simple meal, everything will become costlier,' he said.

'And what a cruel irony - on Labour Day, this is Modi's 'gift' to the working class: higher costs, shrinking incomes, and more hardship. While workers ask for dignity and relief, this government gives them inflation and excuses,' he added.

Terming the ruling party's governance 'Modi Model,' Siddaramaiah alleged that this is only the beginning, and more such increases will follow, and the burden will keep shifting to the citizens.

'This is the Modi model - mislead people during elections, and burden them after,' the post read.

The remarks came after prices of commercial LPG cylinders were increased by around Rs 993, taking the cost of a 19 kg cylinder in Delhi to Rs 3,071.50 from Friday, raising input costs for businesses, while domestic LPG prices remain unchanged.

There has been no change in the price of the 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder, which continues to be used by around 33 crore households across the country.

The revision applies only to commercial and bulk LPG categories, which together account for a relatively smaller share of overall LPG consumption in India. Domestic LPG, which is subsidised and widely used for cooking, has been kept out of the latest price revision.

The hike comes against the backdrop of volatile global crude oil prices, which have remained elevated in recent weeks due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Brent crude had touched USD 126 per barrel on Thursday, before falling to USD 113 per barrel on Friday.

Since India imports a significant portion of its LPG requirements, domestic pricing of commercial and non-subsidised cylinders is linked to international benchmarks and is revised on a monthly basis. (ANI)