Bengaluru, Oct. 4 -- Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday accused the Centre of using tax policy for political ends, arguing that the recent reforms to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would cost the state billions while simultaneously failing to ensure fair fund allocation.

Speaking in Mysuru, the chief minister said that the Centre was celebrating the slashed GST rates ahead of the Bihar elections, even though Karnataka stood to lose nearly Rs.15,000 crore each year as a result of the revised slabs. "The Centre was responsible for GST hikes and collected at higher rates from people all these years. Now, will they return all the surplus GST to the people?" asked Siddaramaiah.

He also alleged that the Centre was denying Karnataka its a...