Bangalore: The BJP government in Karnataka
today ruled out slashing of cess on petrol following the hike
in price and urged the Centre to withdraw the price hike.
"There is no proposal before the government to reduce cess
on petrol. I will write to the Centre urging it to roll back
the hike", Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said while
speaking to reporters here.
"The question of reducing petrol price should be addressed
to the Centre, which has been resorting to frequent hikes," he
said when if the state would come to the rescue of people by
reducing cess.
Gowda said the State Government Employees Association has
sought a hike in interim relief from 12.5 per cent to 15 per
and that he would take a decision in a week after consulting
Finance Department officials.
He said BJP has not yet decided on its candidate for the
November 30 bye-election to Bellary Rural Assembly seat, a
vacancy caused following the resignation by former minister and
mining magnate B Sreeramulu. "We are still in the process of
discussing the issue", he said.
The party is toying with the idea of fielding Sreeramulu,
who resigned his Assembly membership over a month ago,
reportedly unhappy over denial of ministerial berth following
his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
Sources close to Sreeramulu said he has been insisting on
a ministerial berth if he wins the seat.
PTI
