Kolkata, Feb 13 (IANS): LPG supply may be "partially" affected if the strike, called by the bulk LPG transport tankers from Monday in the eastern and southern Indian states, continues.

"We have commenced the strike from today (Monday) in the eastern and southern region. North and western regions are also likely to join the strike soon," said Bulk LPG Transport Contractors Association (Eastern India) Executive Committee Member, Bhupinder Gujral.

About 4,00 tankers run in the eastern states to feed 30 odd bottling plants and nearly 22,000 tankers are expected to be off the road if the four regions go on strike, he said, adding that stocks with the bottling plants vary between 2-4 days.

Criticising the new tendering rules floated by oil marketing companies for tankers for transporting liquefied petroleum, Gujral said the preference clause should be removed from the new rules.

"The tender, earlier, was floated zone-wise. The eastern zone comprises of West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand. But now, they have floated it state-wise and stated preference would be given to tankers registered in the specific state. This is not acceptable to us," he said.

LPG distributors have already apprehended that the supply would be affected.

According to an official of Indian Oil Corporation, the strike, if continues for long, may affect the supply "partially" as many bottling plants are fed through pipelines.