Seven Left parties which have decided to launch an indefinite hunger strike on the power issue here from March 23 have said that their agitation this time could be more serious than the one in 2010.
State secretaries of CPI (M) and CPI B.V. Raghavulu and K. Narayana, respectively, will spearhead the agitation this time by going on an indefinite fast along with one leader each from the remaining five Left parties. The agitation is being taken up against the power tariff hike, heavy fuel surcharge adjustment, merchant power policy, diversion of coal and gas explored in the State to other States and APERC’s alleged role in helping private power projects, taking people for a ride.
Leaders of the CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML-New Democracy), MCPI (U), Forward Bloc, RSP and CPI (ML) had a meeting at the CPI (M) office here on Thursday and made one last appeal to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to withdraw the power tariff hike and levy of FSA on consumers. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the Left leaders criticised him for his illogical justification of tariff hike and levying FSA and termed it “anti-people and unjust.”
If the government had to blame only APERC, why did the ruling party have to make a pre-poll promise in 2009 that it would not increase tariff if voted to power again, as it did during 2004-09, they sought to know.
Addressing a press conference later, Mr. Raghavulu, K. Ramakrishna (CPI) and D.V. Krishna (CPI-ML-ND) said the government could not deceive people in the name of APERC any longer as they were well aware that the regulatory body takes a decision only after consulting the Chief Minister.
They urged the Chief Minister to recollect what he had said in 2001 as an Opposition MLA that government would take all decisions and APERC was only a medium.
They appealed to all other Opposition parties to support their stirand build pressure on the government by taking it up in different forms.
