Chhattisgarh Election 2023: The cooking gas cylinder has been a key poll plank for all the parties including the BJP and the Congress. The subsidised LPG scheme Ujjwala played a crucial role in Narendra Modi's victory in 2019. In fact, one of the BJP's key poll promises in 2014 included the LPG cylinders. However, ever since the Modi government did away with the LPG subsidy for people except those covered under the Ujjwala scheme, the LPG prices touched as high as Rs 1,100 per cylinder giving a weapon to the Congress.
The Congress party recently bagged two key states -Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka and in both states, one common winning factor was the promise of cheaper LPG. The BJP sensed this after facing a humiliating defeat in Karnataka and the Union Government recently announced a price cut of Rs 200 per cylinder for general consumers and Rs 400 for Ujjwala consumers. At present, LPG cylinders cost Rs 900 to non-Ujjwala consumers and Rs 700 to Ujjwala consumers.
Now, the Congress has gone one step ahead by promising Rs 500 subsidy on cylinders. Congress-ruled states like Rajasthan and Karnataka have already been providing LPG cylinders for Rs 500 each. Now, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has promised subsidised cooking gas cylinders under a new scheme in poll-bound Chhattisgarh. "If re-elected in Chhattisgarh, Congress will launch Mahtari Nyay Yojana for women to provide Rs 500 subsidy per gas cylinder," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a social media post said a subsidy of Rs 500 will be directly put into the bank accounts of women.
However, Congress has not made it clear whether the subsidy will be on the amount of Rs 1,100 or on the already subsidised amount being provided by the centre. If the subsidy will be provided on the actual price of Rs 1,100, then LPG will cost Rs 600/cylinder in Chhattisgarh.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also promised a slew of measures, including waiving of loans of Self-Help Groups and free treatment to victims of road accidents if her party retains power in Chhattisgarh. The Congress leader also promised up to 200 units of free electricity.
Of the 90 seats in Chhattisgarh, 20 Assembly constituencies will go to polls in the first phase on November 7. The remaining 70 constituencies will see voting in the second phase on November 17. Votes will be counted on December 3.
