Opposed to gas price hike, says BJP after Arvind Kejriwal dares Narendra Modi over Mukesh Ambani

New Delhi – Hours after Arvind Kejriwal targeted Narendra Modi, accusing him of links with Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, the BJP opposed a gas price hike that the Aam Aadmi Party alleges is a favour to the billionaire.

“We think the Rangarajan thing is wrong… we are opposed to the gas hike that happened… Undue advantage has been given to one company,” BJP leader Chandan Mitra told NDTV on Sunday.

The party’s strong stand followed repeated allegations by Mr Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party that Mr Ambani colluded with the Centre to inflate the price of gas and the BJP was deliberately silent on it.

“What is his and his party’s relation with Mukesh Ambani and Adani?” Mr Kejriwal tweeted yesterday, targeting Mr Modi. “Would 2014 election be fought between the Aam Aadmi Party and Mukesh Ambani, with Rahul (Gandhi) and (Narendra) Modi being agents of Mukesh Ambani?” (Read)

A First Information Report or FIR accusing Mr Ambani, Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and other policy-makers of creating an artificial shortage of gas in the country and raising its prices was filed last week on the orders of Mr Kejriwal before he resigned as Delhi chief minister on Friday. (Read)

Mr Kejriwal has accused the BJP and the Congress of joining hands to oppose his Jan Lokpal Bill in retaliation against the FIR. “They defeated the Bill because three days back we lodged an FIR against Mukesh Ambani,” the 45-year-old said on Friday.

The AAP leader has also asked the Prime Minister to suspend the hike till the issue was resolved. Mr Moily, though, has refused to go back on that decision, justifying it as one based on the recommendations of a committee headed by C Rangarajan, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM, at the request of his predecessor, S Jaipal Reddy.