Shillong, Oct 20: Opposition Congress on Wednesday said this is the first in the history of India that the petrol price has crossed the Rs. 100 mark. However,  they are unable to hold protests against the fuel price hike in Meghalaya due to the upcoming bye-elections to three Assembly seats.

MPCC chief and Shillong MP Vincent H Pala said, “We are supposed to have series of agitations on this price rise and the fuel price rise but (we could not) because of the code of conduct in the different areas in view of the bye elections.”

Pala also informed that machines at petrol pumps have to be replaced because the people who designed them never expect that petrol will cross the Rs 100 mark.

“That day I was in touch with the engineers, they said they have to change lots of machines because as of now the machines are up to two digits (Rs 80-90) but now it has crossed three digits even the machines have to change also,” he said.

He said the price hike will have major impact in tribal areas because their main communication is through road transport so once diesel and petrol increases it will definitely impact the common people, especially of rural areas.

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) national secretary in-charge Meghalaya Sarifa Rahman said that the people of Meghalaya in the coming days will reply with their votes against the false promises made by the ruling government.

“I think the people of Meghalaya have understood it very well and in coming days, they will reply with their votes – whether they are going to vote for BJP in coming days… everybody will understand the false promises made by the ruling government,” she said.