Fuel prices would be lower if they are brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime but Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was opposed to it, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil claimed here on Tuesday.

       He was replying to a question about an editorial in the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' over rising fuel prices.

       "We have clarified it number of times that fuel prices are more an issue of the state government than that of the Centre. If petrol costs Rs 100 per litre, 30 per cent is the purchase cost and the Union government takes Rs 35 for processing and transporting the fuel to petrol pumps.

       "States do not process fuels but charge Rs 35. If they (the Maharashtra government) want to give relief to people, then why deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar opposed the inclusion of petrol and diesel in GST," Patil asked.

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