Karnataka fuel price hike: Rates still lower than Andhra, Maharashtra

The Congress-ruled Karnataka government's move to raise local tax on auto fuels pushed petrol prices above Rs 100 a litre and diesel to Rs 89, but rates are lower than neighbouring Andhra Pradesh which has the costliest fuel in the country, oil industry data showed. The Karnataka government on June 15 hiked local VAT (value added tax) from 25.92 per cent to 29.84 per cent on petrol and from 14.3 per cent to 18.4 per cent on diesel. This led to petrol price now costing Rs 102.86 per litre in Bengaluru and diesel coming for Rs 88.94 a litre. But the rates in Karnataka are still lower than neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. TDP-BJP combine ruled Andhra Pradesh has the costliest petrol at Rs 109.87 a litre, followed by Left Democratic Front (LDF)-ruled Kerala, where a litre of petrol comes for Rs 107.54. Congress-run Telangana is close behind with petrol costing Rs 107.39 a litre. BJP-ruled states are not far behind -- petrol costs Rs 106.45 a litre in Bhopal, Rs 105.16 in P