Karnataka's Congress government raises fuel prices by Rs 3/litre, BJP fumes

BENGALURU: Barely a fortnight since Lok Sabha poll results, Karnataka's Congress govt Saturday increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 with immediate effect through a revision in retail taxes. BJP denounced the hike as "an act of revenge" on the people who had given the party and ally JD(S) 19 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats.
A litre of petrol will now cost Rs 102.85 and diesel Rs 88.93 per litre, according to petroleum dealers in Bengaluru.State's finance department, headed by CM Siddaramaiah, revised retail tax slabs from 25.92% to 29.84% on petrol and from 14.34% to 18.44% on diesel.
Social media was abuzz with criticism with many pointing out that Siddaramaiah govt had jacked up fuel rates at a time Rahul Gandhi was railing against the BJP-led Centre over inflation.
State LoP, BJP's R Ashoka, lashed out at the Siddaramaiah-led govt. "This is revenge by state govt as people had voted for BJP in Lok Sabha polls. Already scraping through the bottom of the barrel to fund its unscientific guarantees, Congress govt has now begun to punish the people with these price hikes," Ashoka said.
Some of Siddaramaiah's Congress colleagues have sought a review of state's welfare schemes that have drained the coffers. Congress spokesperson M Lakshmana, who lost LS polls in Mysuru, recently urged Siddaramaiah to reassess the beneficiaries, saying many people voted BJP despite availing themselves of the schemes.
Social media rippled with ire against the fuel price increase. "While Rahul Gandhi is leading a campaign against inflation, his own party govt in Karnataka has hiked petrol, diesel prices. Will Rahul Gandhi advise his party men in Karnataka to roll back the tax revision?" questioned a citizen on X.