After the Ballots, the Bill: The Economics of the Imminent Petro-Hike Ranjit Singh The specter of rising fuel prices has long been the Achilles' heel of Indian politics. As the dust settles on the latest round of assembly elections in 2026, the familiar murmur of an impending petrol and diesel hike has returned to dominate the headlines. While the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has moved swiftly to dismiss these reports as "mischievous and misleading," the skepticism among the public remains palpable. In India, the "post-election fuel hike" is not just a rumor; it is a recurring chapter in the nation's economic history. The Election Buffer and the Reality of "Under-Recoveries" The current government’s denial is politically necessary. With critical results at stake for the BJP-led NDA, any admission of a price rise would be electoral suicide. However, the economic math tells a different story. India’s State-Run Oil Marketing Compan...