Allies, opposition up in arms against price hike

The UPA government decided to deregulate petrol prices despite opposition from its allies. Both the DMK and Trinamool Congress are opposed to the move but neither is expected to rock the coalition.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee skipped the EGoM while the DMK representative, MK Alagiri, is learnt to have voiced his party's opposition at the meeting. NCP leader Sharad Pawar was present at the Friday meeting; earlier, the NCP had opposed any price hike.

On Thursday, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had urged Banerjee to attend the EGoM, but she refused, saying while she understood market dynamics, she was committed to the people's well-being. After the EGoM decision, Banerjee said her voice was in the minority. "We have raised our voice before the government to reconsider it… It's not fair to burden the common man," she told the media.