Opposition Congress led UDF members on Monday staged a walkout in the Kerala Assembly after the Speaker refused to allow an adjournment motion on the hardship caused to people due to the ruling LDF's second bandh over petroleum price hike within 10 days.
Raising the issue, Congress deputy leader G Karthikeyan said a second bandh on the same issue was "unheard of" in the country. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar of Left ruled Tripura was "prudent enough" not to back a second bandh in his state, he said.
Today's hartal by CPI-M and BJP was the "launch pad" for the Left, who were aiming at a future alliance with the saffron party, he alleged.
He demanded that the state government forgo the additional tax revenue from increase in the price of petroleum products.
In his reply, Chief Minister Achuthanandan said the ruling Front was not "apologetic" about calling for a second hartal in 10 days as the hike had resulted in increase in prices of essential commodities, hitting the common man.
He said the agitation would be stronger when people suffered on account of price rise. "It is a reflection of people's anger," the Chief Minister said.
{{/usCountry}}He said the agitation would be stronger when people suffered on account of price rise. "It is a reflection of people's anger," the Chief Minister said.
{{/usCountry}}Achuthanandan said Kerala had witnessed 13 state-wide hartals in the last four years of LDF rule, of which the ruling front called for it only twice.
BJP had called for hartals six times, CPI-ML once, UDF twice and others twice, he said.