CHENNAI: The price of commercial LPG cylinders in Chennai has surged by Rs 993 in a single day, prompting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to sharply criticise the Union government and demand an immediate rollback.

In Chennai, the cost of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder now stands at Rs 3,237 following the steep hike, dealing a blow to businesses reliant on LPG for daily operations.

Reacting to the increase, Stalin, in a post on X, said the price hike came soon after the Tamil Nadu elections, as he had anticipated. He pointed out that despite a decline in global crude oil prices in recent months, the benefit was not passed on to the public.

He further alleged that the Union government is now citing the ongoing West Asia conflict as a reason for the hike, without taking into account the burden on common people.

Warning of the impact, the Chief Minister said the increase would severely affect livelihoods and urged the Centre to intervene immediately to protect consumers.

The hike is expected to hit hotels, restaurants and small businesses particularly hard, as they are heavily dependent on commercial LPG cylinders. With input costs rising sharply, industry players fear further strain on already tight margins.