Pranab downplays Mamata pullout threat over fuel hike

KOLKATA: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today sought to downplay the threat by key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress to withdraw support to the Government over the petrol price hike, saying it was "perfectly legitimate" for any ally to voice concerns on such issues.

Mukherjee at the same time expressed confidence that the fuel hike issue which has sparked the threat from Mamata Banerjee's party would be sorted out soon with allies after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The issue will be sorted out soon with allies. We would talk to the PM and the issue will be resolved," Mukherjee told reporters.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said a solution to the issue would be found out after a meeting with the allies.

Pressure has mounted on the government to roll back the hike as Mamata attacked the decision to raise the petrol price by Rs 1.80 as unilateral without consultations with allies like her party, DMK and National Conference.

"It is perfectly legitimate for any political party which is a constituent of UPA to express concern on any issue and to discuss it with the Prime Minister. They have done exactly that," Mukherjee said. Trinamool is UPA's second largest ally.

On TC chief stating yesterday that the matter would be taken up with the Prime Minister after his return from abroad, Mukherjee said, "They will take up some of their concerns with the PM. I don't find anything wrong with it." Singh returned to the Capital this morning.

Without making any reference to Trinamool's allegation that the party was not consulted before the price hike, Mukherjee said, "There is an EGoM. It consists of the representatives of all political parties which have a member in the Union Cabinet. Our partners in the coalition are members."

Stating that the UPA government has taken note of the protests by various political parties, Mukherjee said, "Naturally, when price is hiked and if it hits the people, the people will react. They don't like to listen to economic reasons."