Traders not support ruling party if cess is not withdrawn

Kolhapur, Nov 12 (UNI) Industrialist and MLA Sureshdada Jain today hinted that traders in Maharashtra will go against the ruling political combine in the next state assembly elections if government failed to withdraw cess duty.

Addressing a press conference here this evening, Mr Jain, who led traders organisations to create awareness among people to oppose cess duty, said that cess imposed on traders from November first by the state government abolishing octroi of ''D''category seven Municipal Corporations in the state, is totally wrong.

Traders are united over the withdrawal of cess duty as except for Maharashtra in no other state octroi or cess is prevalent.

'If state government fails to take necessary steps to consider traders demands, they will vote against the ruling party in the elections', he pointed out.

''Rulers are aware about this unity of traders, hence they have appointed a committee to look into the matter and also invited traders and their leaders to discuss issue at a meeting to be held on November 14'', he said.

He said state government should extend financial help to these Municipal corporations instead of imposing cess as it was getting revenue through value added tax (VAT).

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