Sharmila raises questions over ‘no stock’ notices at petrol pumps in Andhra

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

APCC President Y S Sharmila on Tuesday questioned the display of “no stock” boards at 3,000 petrol pumps, asking why it had happened if fuel was sufficient in the state. Questioning the rationing of petrol and diesel sales, the opposition leader asked why a fuel crisis had arisen in the state, unlike elsewhere in the country.

“If sufficient fuel was available, then why were ‘no stock’ boards displayed in 3,000 petrol bunks? Is this the Centre’s steadfastness towards the people of Andhra Pradesh?” Sharmila claimed in a press release.

At a time when the fuel crisis is affecting all sectors directly, she questioned the N Chandrababu Naidu-led government for praising the BJP and lashed out at the CM for allegedly being a “stooge” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the Congress leader, the ongoing fuel crisis is an example of the BJP’s alleged indifference towards the state. Reflecting on the situation, she alleged that the TDP-led NDA government’s “sin” has turned into a curse for aquaculture farmers, who depend on diesel to run aerators in shrimp ponds.

Diesel is also needed to transport catch from distant ponds for sale, processing, and export activities in trucks and containers. Questioning Naidu’s leadership, Sharmila asked whether this amounted to “good governance”. Earlier, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Naidu of creating an “artificial shortage” of fuel in Andhra Pradesh to profit from it, alleging collusion between the NDA alliance government and fuel dealers.

A massive shortage of diesel and petrol has been affecting the state over the past three to four days, intensifying as thousands of vehicle owners flocked to petrol pumps in search of fuel. “Creating artificial shortages to assist traders and profiting from it has become your habit. From seeds, fertilisers, urea, and cooking gas, the same has happened across our state. Lately, petrol and diesel have been added to that list,” Reddy said in a post on X late on Monday.

Whenever any issue arises, the opposition leader claimed, Naidu has mastered the art of turning it to his advantage and exploiting it, alleging that this is a skill ingrained in the TDP supremo. According to the former CM, coalition leaders are preparing for yet another round of exploitation through an “artificial shortage” of petrol and diesel. He claimed that there is no fuel shortage in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, or Telangana, and that their supply chains remain unaffected.

“But here, due to dealers and coalition leaders colluding and creating a stir, a petrol and diesel shortage has emerged. Believing that prices will rise after elections in five states conclude, dealers are hoarding fuel. They have teamed up with coalition leaders. Together, they are set to loot,” Reddy alleged.

He claimed that false narratives are being spread, suggesting that vehicle owners, fearing further supply cuts, are buying fuel in large quantities, thereby increasing demand and causing the shortage.

“You know exactly what the reality is. That is why, without conducting a comprehensive review of the fuel crisis, you are merely addressing it through patchwork measures,” he said.

Underscoring that the alleged shortage is causing severe hardship across sectors, Reddy said the situation is particularly affecting farmers during the Rabi harvest season. He said harvesting machines require 100 to 160 litres of diesel per day, but due to shortages, they are stranded in fields.

Similarly, he said, aquaculture farmers are also struggling as aerators used in fish and shrimp farming depend on diesel. If the crisis continues, he warned, people would “teach Naidu a lesson”. Meanwhile, Naidu has directed officials to continuously monitor petrol and diesel supply across the state until normalcy is fully restored.

A total of 2,679 fuel loads were planned for dispatch to petrol bunks across the state on Monday, of which 2,079 were delivered, including 11,909 kilolitres of petrol and 19,707 kilolitres of diesel, said a press release. Across the state, fuel sales recorded till 7 pm on Monday stood at 6,511 kilolitres of petrol and 9,046 kilolitres of diesel, indicating a steady return towards normalcy, it added.

YSRCP calls Statewide protests over fuel shortage, alleges artificial crisis

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Tuesday called for statewide protests over the ongoing petrol and diesel shortage in Andhra Pradesh, alleging that the crisis is artificially created and politically driven. Party leaders announced that peaceful demonstrations would be held at petrol bunks across the state to highlight public hardship and demand immediate corrective action from the government.

In several districts, YSRCP cadres staged protests near fuel stations, raising slogans against the administration and accusing it of failing to ensure adequate supply. The party maintained that the shortage has disrupted normal life, affecting commuters, farmers, and small businesses.

Responding on social media platform X, YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy termed the situation a government-induced artificial shortage. He questioned why neighbouring states such as Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka were not facing similar issues, while Andhra Pradesh alone was witnessing widespread fuel scarcity.

Jagan alleged that certain fuel dealers, in collusion with ruling coalition leaders, were deliberately hoarding stock to manipulate supply and exploit consumers. He further accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of using crises as opportunities, drawing parallels with alleged irregularities in fertiliser and seed distribution in the past.

Highlighting the impact on the agricultural sector, Jagan pointed out that the shortage has come at a critical time during the Rabi harvest season. Farmers are reportedly struggling to operate harvesting machinery due to lack of diesel, while aqua farmers are facing losses as aerators remain non-functional without fuel support. He also warned that rumours of post-election price hikes were being used as a pretext to withhold stock, further aggravating panic among consumers. Urging the government to act swiftly, Jagan cautioned that public anger could escalate if immediate measures are not taken to restore normal fuel supply across the state.