In the backdrop of strong protests by UPA allies and the Opposition over the steep hike in petrol price, Congress on Thursday hinted at the possibility of a partial rollback and expressed hope that the government would be able to find a way out to ease the burden on the common man.

"The party is hopeful that some kind of a modus vivendi involving the central government, state government and the oil companies will be arrived at.... We are hopeful that the government would find a way out so that some of this burden is eased which would provide relief to the common man," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.

Tewari insisted that the petrol price hike was not a political decision or one taken by the government as after dismantling of the administered price mechanism (APM), the responsibility of fixing oil prices strictly lay with the oil marketing companies (OMCs).

He said that the party, however, notwithstanding the facts and economic realities "is extremely sensitive to the burden put on the common man".

The Congress leader attacked the BJP over the issue reminding that fuel prices were hiked more than 30 times during the NDA rule.

"People who want to politicise every issue, should look within. The process to dismantle the APM was initiated by the NDA," Tewari said.

However, a party leader acknowledged that the petrol price hike was "indeed hefty".

In one of the steepest hikes ever, OMCs hiked petrol prices by over Rs 7.50 per litre yesterday.