Petrol prices have been increased by seven rupees fifty paise a litre. It will be effective from midnight.State-owned oil companies have decided to raise petrol price by six rupees twenty eight paise per litre excluding local sales tax or VAT.

Petrol in Delhi currently costs 65rupees sixty four paise a litre and after the increase it will be priced at 73 rupees 14 paise per litre.

In Mumbai, the petrol now costs 70 rupees sixty six paisa but after midnight it will go up to 78 rupees sixteen paisa.Earlier on Tuesday, Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy had said that there was an immediate need to raise fuel prices.

BJP has opposed the price hike of petrol and termed it the betrayal by UPA government with common people. Party spokesperson, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said BJP will launch a nation wide campaign aginst the hike and pressurized the government for roll back of the hike.

CPI has also opposed the price hike of petrol and said it is against the common people. Senior leader, Gurudas Das Gupta said the hike will add burden on people and it will also affect the investment in the country.

On the other hand, Congress has said that UPA government and the party has nothing to do with price hike of petrol as it has been already deregulated. Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said the decision to this effect has been taken by oil companies.

The second largest partner of the UPA Government, the Trinamool Congress has criticised the decision of hike in petrol prices.

Opposing the move, the Trinamool Congress Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms. Mamta Banerjee said in Kolkata that her party was not taken into confidence before taking such decision.