Centre and State government have failed to manage LPG shortage: NCP-SP leader Jayant Patil

Amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and its impact on LPG gas, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)- SP on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti government has refused to share information on the status of the shortage of LPG cylinders.

“The BJP government at both the Centre and State levels has failed to manage the gas crisis and has instead blamed the opposition for the situation,” said NCP (SP) senior leader Jayant Patil. 

Retaining that shortage of LPG gas cylinders is a related issue, Mr Patil said that the intention is to discuss the LPG crisis so that the government can explain the situation and take the citizens and opposition into confidence. However, it has failed to do so, which means the government has no courage to take responsibility for it. 

“The Chief Minister should have intervened by now, as widespread long queues are a sign of government failure,” said former Minister Mr Patil. 

LPG shortage has created a panic situation in Maharashtra with people queuing outside the distribution centres. The people also complained about the technical glitches in booking gases. The opposition has constantly raised the issue in the ongoing session in the assembly, but has found an unsatisfactory answer from the party in power. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had accused the opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, of creating panic about the shortage of gas, claiming that in reality the state has enough LPG supply. 

Mr Patil noted the arrival of shipments of LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi at Mundra and Vadinar ports in Gujarat, but alleged that the supply is not enough to meet the demand. 

Earlier, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that authorities have seized 1,208 LPG cylinders during a Statewide crackdown on stockpiling the gas cylinder, with 23 cases registered, and 18 people arrested in the cases.