MPs plan collective action against 'unfair' rail budget

New Delhi, Feb 27: Cutting across party lines, Members of Parliament from Karnataka today expressed disappointment about their state ''being let down badly'' in Railway Budget 2008-09.

The MPs from the state were unanimous in denouncing the ''apathy'' shown to Karnataka in the budget presented by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader R L Jalappa said the MPs, irrespective of party affiliations, were greatly upset at the way the state was neglected in the Railway Budget. ''We are planning a meeting and will make efforts to redress the issue collectively,'' he said.

BJP MPs, Karunakara Reddy, G M Siddesh and Suresh Angadi, said they were aghast at the raw deal meted out to the state by the Railway Minister. ''The state has got very little even as the Railways is mopping up hefty revenues from the transport of iron ore, manganese and agricultural commodities from Bellary, Davanagere and Belgaum,'' they said.

Mr S Shivanna, JD(S) echoed the views of fellow MPs from the state and said his constituency Chamarajanagar appeared to be outside the map of the Railways.

UNI