Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, CPI(M) Politburo member B.V. Raghavulu, CPI state secretary K. Narayana and scores of party workers were on Saturday taken into custody while they tried to take out a march towards the Andhra Pradesh Assembly here protesting the hike in petroleum prices.
Thousands of TDP and Left party workers held a ‘Maha Dharna’ near Indira Park here demanding rollback of hike in petrol and diesel prices.
Addressing the protesters the leaders wanted the Centre to take effective steps to check price rise and deplored Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that the hike in petroleum prices will not be rolled back.
Tension prevailed in the area for some time while Mr. Naidu was addressing the activists, when members of Telangana lawyers clashed with the TDP workers, prompting police to intervene and disperse the clashing groups.
After the dharna, the protesting leaders and scores of TDP and Left party workers were soon taken into custody when they tried to march towards the State Assembly and were taken to Banjara Hills police station.
Earlier in the day TDP, CPI and CPI(M) legislators came to the Assembly with pushcarts “selling” essential food items and vegetables passing from Tank Bund and Secretariat.
