States reluctant to bring petroleum products under GST purview: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader Avinash Rai Khanna on Friday said the Centre is ready to bring petroleum products under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) purview to provide relief to the common people but the states are not unanimous.

In reply to a question, he said that petroleum products cannot be brought under GST purview in only the BJP-ruled states as unanimous decision by all the states is required for that.

On inflation and sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, Khanna said the common people may get some relief if the prices of petrol and diesel are reduced by bringing petroleum products under GST purview.

Currently, petroleum products attract central excise duty and value added tax (VAT) levied by states.

Khanna, who is also in-charge of the party's affairs in Himachal Pradesh, is in Shimla and for selecting BJP candidates for the ensuing municipal corporation (MC) elections in Palampur, Dharamshala, Solan and Mandi.

He is accompanied by state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap.

Khanna claimed that his party would not only win the MC elections, voting for which would be held on April 7, but would also come to power again in the state in the 2022 Assembly polls.