West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a rally in Kolkata on Saturday to protest against the steep hike in petrol price.
This will be the first time Ms. Banerjee, chairperson of the Trinamool Congress, the second largest constituent of the alliance, will be leading a procession against the Centre since the UPA -II government came to power in 2009.
Annoyed over the hike, Ms. Banerjee on Wednesday described it as ‘unilateral and unjust' and charged the Centre with economic mismanagement. A day later, she said her party's protests over the issue would continue.
“The rally organised by the party is significant because it will be the first time our party chairperson will be leading a rally against the UPA government since it came to power at Centre in 2009. The last time the petrol price was hiked she had expressed her displeasure over the decision after which the Centre was forced to roll back the price hike under pressure from the party,” said a senior Trinamool leader.
While not threatening to pull out of the UPA government, the Trinamool is keen on projecting itself as a party that does not want to associate itself with the petrol price hike.