Jagan Responsible For High Fuel Prices in AP, Says Somireddy

NELLORE: Sarvepalli MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy on Saturday alleged that former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was responsible for Andhra Pradesh having among the highest fuel prices in the country.

Responding to criticism from opposition parties over the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices, Chandramohan Reddy said the prices prevailing in the state were the same as those when the YSRC government demitted office in June 2024. He claimed that the coalition government had not imposed any additional burden on consumers over the past two years.

The MLA said the recent increase in fuel prices was part of a nationwide revision by the Centre amid the global oil crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

According to him, the Central government increased petrol prices by 3.2 per cent and diesel prices by 3.4 per cent, which he said was comparatively lower than hikes witnessed in several other countries.

Citing international fuel price trends, Chandramohan Reddy said countries such as Malaysia, the UAE, the United States and New Zealand had witnessed steeper increases in petrol and diesel prices.

Defending the Narendra Modi-led government, he said India had managed to keep the hikes minimal despite global pressures.

He criticised Opposition parties for targeting both the state and Central governments without acknowledging international factors influencing fuel prices.