Pranab briefs party MPs on fuel price hike

A-46, KOL-080203, FEBRUARY 8, 2010- Kolkata: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee speaks after receving the Indira Gandhi Gold Plaque 2008-09 from President, The Asiatic Society, Biswnath Banerjee (unseen) in Kolkata on Monday. PTI Photo by Ashok Bhaumik

Ahead of the stormy session in both houses of parliament, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday briefed Congress MPs on the reasons behind the fuel price hike.

He explained that a roll back on the hike, as being demanded by various political parties, would put the government in difficulty, party insiders said. The minister also said the government would discuss the matter with its allies.

An MP who attended the meeting said no MP asked for the hike to be rolled back. The decision, he added, would come up for discussion in the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting Thursday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will address the CPP.