Decrying the hike in diesel prices, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday urged the Centre to roll back the increase.
The hike would lead to increase in prices and affect people, she said in a statement in Chennai and reiterated her demand for withdrawing powers vested with oil companies to regulate fuel prices.
Ms. Jayalalithaa said people are agitated over fuel price hike and cautioned they are prepared to vote out the UPA government at the Centre in the coming general election.
She said despite increase in fuel prices, her government did not resort to bus fare hike in Tamil Nadu with a view not to cause hardship to people, unlike other States and took on the entire financial burden by allocating additional funds to transport corporation.
Last year, the government granted Rs. 200 crore to State transport corporation and Rs. 500 crore this year, she said.
Oil marketing companies on Thursday announced a reduction of Rs. 1.15 a litre in prices of petrol but hiked diesel prices by 50 paise a litre.
