New Delhi, July 9: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has called for a reduction in petrol and diesel prices, arguing that "pure petrol" should be sold at Rs 82 per litre, while E20 petrol should be priced at around Rs 70 per litre.

Speaking to reporters in the national capital on Thursday, Kejriwal said the current price of E20 petrol, which is around Rs 102 per litre, is too high. He maintained that the increased use of ethanol-blended fuel should result in lower prices for consumers.

"Pure petrol should be available in our country at Rs 82 per litre. If we shift to E20 fuel, the price should come down further to around Rs 70 per litre instead of the Rs 102 currently being charged," he said.

Kejriwal also asserted that diesel prices could be reduced using a similar pricing approach. According to him, lower fuel prices would help curb inflation and provide significant relief to households and businesses.

"Diesel prices can also be reduced in the same manner. A reduction in petrol and diesel prices would have a major impact on inflation and bring much-needed relief to the people," he said.

Demanding immediate action from the Centre, the AAP leader urged the government to ensure that pure petrol is sold at Rs 82 per litre and that E20 fuel, if supplied, is made available at an even lower price.

Kejriwal's remarks come days after Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that a reduction in retail petrol and diesel prices could become a "legitimate question" if international crude oil prices remain stable at current levels over the coming weeks. However, the minister cautioned that it would be premature to expect an immediate price cut.

Speaking at a press conference on July 3, Puri noted that public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) had previously absorbed substantial losses to shield consumers from fluctuations in global crude oil prices.

"Oil marketing companies incurred losses and under-recoveries of Rs 74,781 crore by selling petrol, diesel and LPG below cost," the minister said.

Puri also defended the government's ethanol blending programme, rejecting concerns about E20 fuel. He said that while there may be a marginal reduction in fuel efficiency, it is offset by improvements in engine performance and acceleration. He added that the rollout of E20 fuel followed consultations with industry stakeholders, including the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).