As Elections End, LPG, Fuel Prices See Steep Hike – There's a Pattern Here

In a steep price hike less than two weeks after the election results were announced for five states, the rates of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder price were on Tuesday, 22 March, revised upwards by Rs 50 per cylinder.

(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhter)

In a steep price hike less than two weeks after the election results were announced for five states, the rates of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder price was on Tuesday, 22 March, revised upwards by Rs 50 per cylinder.

With the rise in price, the cooking gas cylinder will cost Rs 949.50 effective from Tuesday, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.

The retail price of petrol and diesel also increased by 80 paise each in Delhi on Tuesday, now costing Rs 96.21 and Rs 87.47 respectively.

A jump in prices following elections is not an unusual occurrence, but more an established pattern in the country. Here's how the fuel rates fluctuated in the months before and after the last three state Assembly elections.

LPG Prices Before/After 2022 State Elections in UP, Punjab

Assembly elections were held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Manipur between 10 February and 7 March 2022.

The LPG cylinder prices in the national capital varied in the months before and after the polls, showing a steady decrease till February, and then shooting up again after results were declared in March.

Here are the prices for the 19 kg commercial cylinder of LPG:

• November 2021: Rs 2,000.50

• December 2021: Rs 2,101

• January 2022: Rs 1,988.50

• February 2022: Rs 1,907

• March 2022: Rs 2,012

For the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder, the prices have remained the same since October 2021:

• November 2021: Rs 899.50

• December 2021: Rs 899.50

• January 2022: Rs 899.50

• February 2022: Rs 899.50

• March 2022: Rs 949.50

Prices (per litre) of petrol fell in January, remained constant as polls began in February, and saw a rise in March.

• November 2021: Rs.109.71

• December 2021: Rs.104.01

• January 2022: Rs.95.45

• February 2022: Rs.95.45

• March 2022: Rs 96.21

Diesel prices remained constant in the election months, and saw a hike in March.

• November 2021: Rs.98.44

• December 2021: Rs.86.71

• January 2022: Rs.86.71

• February 2022: Rs.86.71

• March 2022: Rs 87.47

LPG Prices Before/After 2021 State Elections in West Bengal, Kerala

Assembly elections were held in four states of West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry between 27 March and 29 April 2021.

LPG cylinder prices fluctuated greatly in the months preceding and succeeding the polls, and the rates of commercial cylinders shot up by more than Rs 100 within a month after polling:

• January 2021: Rs 1,349

• February 2021: Rs 1,519

• March 2021: Rs 1,614.64

• April 2021: Rs 1,641.64

• May 2021: Rs 1,595.50

• June 2021: Rs 1,473.50

For the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder, prices decreased before the polls and remained constant after an initial rise in the months after the elections.

• January 2021: Rs 694

• February 2021: Rs 794

• March 2021: Rs 819

• April 2021: Rs 809

• May 2021: Rs 809

• June 2021: Rs 809

Petrol prices rose by nearly Rs 8 in the two months following the elections.

• January 2021: Rs 86.34

• February 2021: Rs 91.21

• March 2021: Rs 90.82

• April 2021: Rs 90.44

• May 2021: Rs 94.29

• June 2021: Rs 98.87

The per litre rates of Diesel rose by nearly Rs 9 in the two months after polling in four states and one Union Territory.

• January 2021: Rs 76.52

• February 2021: Rs 81.51

• March 2021: Rs 81.14

• April 2021: Rs 80.77

• May 2021: Rs 85.21

• June 2021: Rs 89.23

LPG Prices Before/After 2020 State Elections in Bihar

Assembly elections were held in Bihar between 28 October and 7 November 2020.

An immediate hike in prices was observed for the 19 kg commercial cylinder of LPG in November 2021 and its succeeding months:

• August 2020: Rs 1,135.5

• September 2020: Rs 1,133.5

• October 2020: Rs 1,166

• November 2020: Rs 1,241.5

• December 2020: Rs 1,332

• January 2021: Rs 1,349

Prices of the 14.2 kg cooking gas cylinder also saw a rise in the months following the polls:

• August 2020: Rs 594

• September 2020: Rs 594

• October 2020: Rs 594

• November 2020: Rs 594

• December 2020: Rs 694

• January 2021: Rs 694

Petrol prices dropped in the months preceding the elections, and then rose again.

• August 2020: Rs 82.09

• September 2020: Rs 81.06

• October 2020: Rs 81.06

• November 2020: Rs 82.34

• December 2020: Rs 82.34

• January 2021: Rs 83.71

The cost of diesel declined for two consecutive months till October, when polling began, and then followed an upward trend.

• August 2020: Rs 73.62

• September 2020: Rs 70.63

• October 2020: Rs 70.46

• November 2020: Rs 72.42

• December 2020: Rs 73.88

• January 2021: Rs 76.52

'Election Offer Expired': Jaya Bachchan, Shashi Tharoor, Others Call Out Post-Poll Fuel Price Rise

A number of Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, have reacted to the rise in LPG prices.

"This is how the government does, Akhilesh Yadav has repeatedly said in his campaign that you people should be alert, the price is going to increase after the elections. Don't know who brought them (BJP) to power," Bachchan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Taking to Twitter, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote in Hindi, "Breaking all old records, petrol diesel gas are running greatly."

"Congratulations to PM Modiji for achieving his 'target' of ₹1000 per LPG cylinder in most parts of the country. There will now be daily 'Vikas' in Petrol & Diesel prices as well. The only affordable things under Modi Govt are communalism & hatred. Everything else is expensive," tweeted Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

"Election Offer Expired. Petrol & Diesel prices hiked by 80 paisa per litre.
Price of domestic LPG has been hiked by ₹50. Enjoy Your "ACHHE DIN" Until The Next Election Schedule Get Announced," Congress leader Nitin Agarwal said in a tweet.