As PM Modi announces another LPG price cut, why gas subsidies and elections go hand in hand

Days ahead of the Election Commission’s (EC) expected announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday markedInternational Women’s Day with another reduction in the price of LPG cylinders.

Modi announced a cut of Rs 100 per cylinder. The decision is estimated to benefit almost 33 crore households, including more than 10 crore poor households covered under the PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for whom the price cut will be in addition to the existing subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder.

Today, on Women’s Day, our Government has decided to reduce LPG cylinder prices by Rs. 100. This will significantly ease the financial burden on millions of households across the country, especially benefiting our Nari Shakti.

By making cooking gas more affordable, we also aim…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href=«https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1765938424723202381?ref_src=» https: class="" rel=«nofollow, noopener» target="_blank">March 8, 2024

It is a familiar strategy for political parties in power, including the BJP government at the Centre, to announce LPG subsidies ahead of elections. Last August, ahead of the Assembly polls in five states, the Centre announced a price reduction of Rs 200 per cylinder and expanded the PMUY coverage by 75 lakh households. Then in October, the government hiked the PMUY subsidy to Rs 300 per cylinder.

At the time, BJP insiders said ground reports and surveys had revealed that price rise was contributing to dissatisfaction among women voters — a crucial section of the electorate the party has its focus on for the state elections and the Lok Sabha polls — and the party’s strategists wanted the government to take steps to address it.

For the BJP, the LPG subsidy falls neatly into its