Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday, 25 May 2026, launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led central government over rising fuel prices, alleging that the ruling party was using price hikes to recover election expenditure and was resorting to what he called a 'bag-theft formula' — quietly reducing the quantity of oil per litre rather than raising the listed price.

Context

In the post, Yadav wrote: 'तेल के बेतहाशा बढ़ते दामों के बीच भाजपा सरकार के पास बस एक ही तरीक़ा बचा है' ('Amid the runaway rise in oil prices, the BJP government is left with only one method') — namely, reducing the volume of oil dispensed per litre instead of openly raising the price. He described this as a 'bori mein chori' (theft inside the sack) formula, a colloquial phrase implying covert short-changing of consumers.

He further alleged a 'direct link' between fuel prices and what he termed BJP's commission, arguing that every price increase directly fattens the ruling party's coffers. He also claimed that the BJP was using fuel price hikes to recover money spent during recent elections, stating that the party's sole principle was to ensure its own treasury never ran dry, 'even if it means robbing the public's pocket.'

Policy Backdrop

Fuel pricing in India is determined by a combination of global crude oil costs, central excise duties, and state-level VAT, making retail prices a perennial flashpoint between the ruling dispensation and the opposition. The central government has adjusted excise duties on petrol and diesel at multiple points since 2014, drawing sustained criticism from opposition parties who argue that consumers bear a disproportionate burden when crude prices rise globally.

Since deregulation, oil marketing companies are permitted to revise prices on a fortnightly basis, theoretically aligning retail rates with international benchmarks. Critics, including Yadav, have long contended that this mechanism is selectively applied — prices rise swiftly when crude costs climb but do not fall proportionately when global rates ease.

Stakeholders and Impact

The most direct impact of fuel price increases falls on ordinary consumers — commuters, farmers, small transporters, and households dependent on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel for daily needs. In a state as large and agrarian as Uttar Pradesh, fuel costs feed directly into food production and transportation expenses, amplifying inflationary pressure on lower-income groups.

Yadav's allegation of quantity reduction — dispensing less than a full litre at pumps — touches on a separate consumer-protection concern that weights and measures authorities are mandated to enforce. While the specific claim remains unverified, short-measure complaints at fuel retail outlets have been documented by consumer bodies across multiple states in past years.

What's Next

Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, are expected to intensify pressure on the government over fuel pricing ahead of any forthcoming parliamentary session or state-level assembly proceedings. Oil marketing companies' next round of price revisions will be closely watched as a barometer of the government's political calculus on retail fuel costs. If prices remain elevated or rise further, the issue is likely to become a central plank of opposition campaigning in the near term.