NCP-SP leader Jayant Patil accused the BJP-led centre and Maharashtra governments of failing to manage LPG shortage amid West Asia conflict. He criticized their refusal to share information and blaming the opposition. Long queues have formed across the state, with Patil urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene.
On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, NCP-SP senior leader Jayant Patil alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti government refused to share information on the LPG cylinder shortage status amid the West Asia conflict's impact. “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 Patil, a former minister. The shortage has triggered panic in Maharashtra, with people queuing outside distribution centres and facing technical glitches in bookings. Opposition parties raised the issue in the ongoing assembly session but received unsatisfactory responses from the ruling party. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, of creating panic and claimed the state has sufficient LPG supply. Patil noted arrivals of LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi at Mundra and Vadinar ports in Gujarat but said the supply falls short of demand. “The Chief Minister should have intervened by now, as widespread long queues are a sign of government failure,” Patil added. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal stated that authorities seized 1,208 LPG cylinders in a statewide crackdown on stockpiling, registering 23 cases and arresting 18 people.
