Akhilesh Yadav Questions Centre's E20 Petrol, Citing Vehicle Damage Concerns

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday attacked the Centre over E20 petrol, citing a reported remark by Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran backing E10 petrol and raising concern over the impact of E20 on vehicles. In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister shared a picture citing Nageswaran's reported remarks and questioned the government's position on the fuel. "E20 petrol is damaging vehicles. The sale of E10 petrol should start again for old two-wheelers," read the picture. "Who is right: the government or the adviser?" Yadav asked, referring to what he described as conflicting positions on E20. The SP president said motorists whose vehicles had allegedly developed problems after using E20 were "being forced to seek assistance", while the government maintained that there was no issue with the fuel and advisers were cautioning about its impact on vehicles. The leader of the third largest party in the Lok Sabha asked why the BJP-led government, which he said conducts surveys on various issues, was not directly seeking the views of people who were facing problems allegedly linked to E20. Calling E20 a "double-edged sword", Yadav said it was imposing a "double burden" on people in the form of expensive petrol as well as higher vehicle maintenance costs. The Centre introduced E20, a blend of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol, as part of efforts to reduce vehicular emissions and cut dependence on crude oil imports. After a phased rollout, E20 became the only petrol variant available at fuel pumps across the country from April 2026. The move has triggered concerns among some vehicle owners, with motorists reporting reduced engine performance and apprehensions about damage to fuel lines and other components. Owners of older vehicles, many of which may not have been designed for high ethanol blends, have been seeking the availability of lower blends such as E10.