While the ruling Congress is of the view that the wrong policies of the Centre were responsible for the situation, the BJP claimed that one of the reasons for the price rise was the State Government's failure to take stern action against hoarders and blackmarketeers. BJP leaders also described as ``gimmick'' the move to make onion prices an issue in the coming Assembly elections and said prices would come down with the Centre's decision to import onions.

Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and party spokesman Manak Agrawal said the price rise was the result of the Centre's wrong policies and its lack of planning. In order to keep onion prices in domestic market under control, the Centre should not have permittedonion export as crops had got damaged due to natural calamities last year.

BJP MP Lakhiram Agrawal said his party would also raise the issue of price rise as it was the responsibility of the State to introduce market intervention measures to keep prices of essential commodities under control.

If the BJP Government in Delhi could make onion and potato available at subsidised rates, why could not the Digvijay Singh Government do it here, he asked.

The Left parties, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) are also of the view that increase in prices of onion and other essential commodities would become a major election issue as both the BJP-led Government at the Centre and the State Government cannot shirk responsibilities.

CPM leader Zakir Ali said his party would highlight the issue along with problems related to labour movement and increase in atrocities against women.

Meanwhile, the CPI has already organised several agitations all over the country in protestagainst price rise. Janata Dal senior vice-president M W Siddiqui said both the Centre and the State Governments were responsible for the current price rise and the people would not take this lightly.

However, BJP national general secretary Sumitra Mahajan, said onion price rise would not be an election issue since, ``people are aware that the price rise was the result of natural calamities and wrong policies of the previous Governments at the Centre.''

Meanwhile, Janata Dal president Sharad Yadav said in Jabalpur that not only onions but also potatoes and wheat were beyond the reach of the poor.

Pointing out that price rise would certainly become a major poll plank, he said Pokhran blasts had attracted sanctions, thereby resulting in complete breakdown of price control mechanism.