Chennai, Nov 22 (IANS): AIADMK chief coordinator O. Panneerselvam has criticised the position taken by the state Finance Minister PTR Thiagarajan that the state would not lower fuel prices.

In a statement on Monday, the former Chief Minister said: "When the Central government's taxes are applicable all over the country and many states have come forward to decrease the prices, people regard the argument of the state government against the reduction as unfair."

He also referred to the price cuts by states like Rajasthan and Punjab that are ruled by opposition parties.

OPS also said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had in June 2018, while in opposition, demanded reduction of fuel prices of petrol and diesel citing the move by the Kerala government to reduce the price of petrol and diesel by 1 rupee per litre. He said that during that time, the price of petrol in Tamil Nadu was less than in Kerala.

He also charged that the DMK had not stipulated any conditions while promising to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 4 respectively during the assembly elections of 2021.

The former Chief Minister said that the DMK has a moral responsibility to keep the promise it had made to the people of the state during electioneering.

Panneerselvam also said that he was the Finance Minister of the state for the past ten years when the AIADMK was in power and said that he knows about the intricacies of reducing fuel prices.