Mamata right,so are oil firms: Pranab

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress have every right to express their concerns at the petrol price hike as a political party

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress have every right to express their concerns at the petrol price hike as a political party,Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Kolkata on Saturday.

It is quite legitimate for any political party which is a constituent partner of the Congress-led UPA to express their concerns and discuss such things with the Prime Minister. They have done exactly that. They have stated that after the Prime Minister comes back they will take up with him some of their concerns, said Mukherjee.

He was responding to media queries about Mamatas threat to pull out of the government,during a function in Kolkata.

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At the same time,Mukherjee defended oil marketing companies over the recent increase in petrol prices,adding that this would also mean that state governments get a larger share from taxes on petrol.

Noting that the decision to deregulate the petrol price was taken last year,he said that after this,oil companies had the freedom to determine the price of petrol depending on the market.

Trinamool weighs options

The Trinamool Congress is debating what line to take when it meets the Prime Minister over the issue of petrol price hike. With Mamata Banerjee saying she would keep her commitment to support the UPA government for the full term,one option the party is considering is withdrawing its ministers from the government and providing outside support. However,others in the party feel that has too much of a Leftist tinge and may not be a viable model for Mamata.