Petrol price hike:Mamata to take final call on tie with UPA

Seeing the eleventh increase in petroleum prices in just 12 months,allies are furious especially TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is seeking an appointment with prime minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the petrol hike and to take a final call on ties with UPA . The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advocated further deregulation of fuel prices, even as UPA ally Trinamool Congress MP's threatened to withdraw support. Moreover,Kerala High Court asked Indian Oil and Reliance Petroleum to produce their balance sheets. UPA allies DMK,NCP are also apposed to the hike .The Trinamool, with 18 Lok Sabha members, is the second largest UPA constituent. Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key UPA constituent, threatened to pull out over the petrol price hike even as it sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before taking "any vital decision". DMK also demanded a roll back of the decision, saying it had added enormously to the burden of the poor, lower and middle classes. NCP and National Conference were also unhappy with the petrol price hike and sought a reconsideration of the decision. Categorically pointing to the fact that Congress was dependant on support of allies like the Trinamool Congress, NCP and DMK to run the UPA government, Mamata remarked , "But we are not dependant on Congress." In an unusual development, the Kerala High Court stepped into the scene, saying it was concerned over the price rise and directed Indian Oil and Reliance Petroleum to produce their balance sheets and quarterly reports. "We have been silenced and not heard in the Union Cabinet. Our only Cabinet minister Dinesh Trivedi, when he raises any issue concerning the people, is told to keep quiet. We have tolerated so much and adjusted," Banerjee said, adding there was lack of coordination and cooperation in the UPA. When PM was asked about all-round opposition to hike the petrol price Singh said ,"But as I said, these are very sensitive areas and I have no hesitation in saying ultimately we must allow the markets to find their own level except for those commodities which are semi public goods."