New Delhi, April 23: The Congress on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5-10 on May 23 when the Lok Sabha elections results will be declared. Congress made the claim in the wake of the US threats to impose sanctions on India and other countries for buying Iranian oil. Hitting out at PM Modi, the party said he was acting as "mute spectator".

"There is preparation to increase the prices of petrol-diesel by Rs. 5-10 on the evening of May 23. But the country will not be duped by this (sic)," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a series of tweets. "Crude oil prices are touching the sky -- highest in six months. The Rupee has tumbled to the ground, USD 1=Rs. 69.61. The US has put sanctions on import of crude oil from Iran (sic)," Surjewala added. Donald Trump Says India One Of The Highest Taxing Nations In The World.

"Why is Modi ji, who keeps boasting about his bravery everyday, silent? Modi ji is not telling the country that in order to dupe people and garner votes, he has directed oil companies not to increase the prices till May 23," the Congress leader wrote in Hindi. The US on Monday announced that sanction waivers for India, China, Japan, South Korea and Turkey would not be renewed when they expire on May 2.

The decision is intended to deny Iran its principal source of revenue. In November, the US reimposed sanctions on exports of Iranian oil after President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers.

India on Tuesday said it is "adequately prepared" to deal with the impact of the US decision to end waiver for importing oil from Iran and that it will continue to work with Washington and other partner countries to find "all possible ways" to protect its energy and economic security interests.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2019 03:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).