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PM, Sinha to discuss rollback of LPG price hike

In what is seen as a climb down, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday said that he would discuss the issue of roll back of LPG and kerosene price hike with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee apparently under pressure from various political parties including Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sinha, who had earlier ruled out any rollback of LPG price hike of Rs 40 a cylinder in the Budget, said on Saturday, "I am neither ruling in the possibility nor ruling out the possibility."

Asked if it was true that the prime minister has agreed for a discussion on the issue as announced by Petroleum Minister Ram Naik on Friday, Sinha said, "I have also read (the news) in the newspaper. I will discuss the matter with the prime minister."

Whatever has to be done would be announced on the floor of either house of Parliament, Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on globalisation in New Delhi.

To a question on what was his view on the roll-back, Sinha said, "I have no opinion of my own. The Budget I have presented is the decision taken by the government of India. Whatever announced is the government's decision."

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