"The Congress should have maintained silence for sometime as a constructive opposition party and allowed time for the government to deliver," Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Pradhan said.
On AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan said Congress leaders should know that the scheme was launched to open bank accounts of those who have been deprived of the facility for decades at zero balance.
Over 6.5 crore accounts have been opened within three months after the scheme was launched and over Rs 5,000 crore deposited by the poorer section of the society, he said at a press conference here.
The minister said the prices of petrol decreased seven times and that of diesel twice in just three months, providing relief to the people.
"The policy of the Congress was to raise the prices petroleum products while our policy is to decrease it," claimed Pradhan, who has been campaigning in the state for two days.
Stable government was the only issue in this election as people were fed up with the lack of development and employment opportunities due to political instability, he said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
