The opposition TDP-Left combine is poised to make a success the nation-wide call for `harthal' against price rise in West Godavari district. A joint meeting of the CPI, CPI (M) and the TDP was held at the TDP district unit office here on Tuesday to ensure a coordinated effort in organizing the harthal. They released posters on the proposed harthal at the media conference.
TDP district president Tota Sitamahalakshmi and former minister from the same party Maganti Venkateswara Rao expressed serious concern over the spiralling food prices and the prices of petroleum products, making life miserable for the common public, allegedly during the UPA regime. They said it was quite unfair on the part of the UPA government to levy value added tax (VAT) on the sales of foodgrains which further contributed to price rise. Ms. Sitamahalakshmi accused the UPA government of allotting fertile agriculture lands for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) which was quite likely to result in shortage of food grains in the country in the near future.
G.V.L. Narasimha Rao from the CPI (M) and N.V. Subba Rao of the CPI said it was decided to enforce closure of hotels, cinema halls and factories on April 27. The agitators would also not allow the RTC buses to ply as part of the agitation, they added. Rasta rokos and protest marches would be organized, highlighting the alleged failure of the UPA regime in controlling prices, they explained.
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