KOCHI: The BJP's Kerala unit president K Surendran on Tuesday claimed the public does not care about the rise in fuel prices and it will not affect the local body polls in the state.
Petrol and diesel prices rose for the sixth day in a row on Monday as rates went up by 26-30 paise per litre and rates for petrol in Delhi rose to Rs 83.71 per litre, from Rs 83.41 while diesel price went up from Rs 73.61 to Rs 73.87 per litre.
Surendran said it was the Congress party which handed over the price regulation authority to the oil companies.
"The rise in fuel prices in the country will not affect the publicand it is not a factor in the election. It was the Congress which gave the price determination authority to the oil companies," Surendran told reporters here.
His comment came as the first phase of the three tier local body polls was being held today. When asked about his protest against fuel pricehike during the previous UPA rule, by pushing his scooter through the road, Surendran said "today there are other people in the Opposition to take up that role."
"I protested when I was in the Opposition. That's how things work. It's not a big deal. We will protest when we are in the Opposition. The public does not care about the fuel prices. We are providing free rice, cooking gas, cheap medicine, kisan samman nidhi and other benefits for the public and that's why we are winning all elections acrossthe country," Surendran said.
The BJP state chief claimed that the price of petrol in the country was Rs 87 during the UPA rule and now it is around Rs 83.
When reporters pointed out that it was around Rs 67, Surendran dismissed it and said it was part of the justification given by the Congress and CPI(M).