West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has hinted that she may pull out from coalition with the UPA as the party has for the second time increased petrol prices in two months making lives of people further miserable.
THE PREPOSTEROUS fuel hike, sixth time this year and second one in two months could prove costly for the UPA government as its ally in West Bengal has come out strongly against the government. The Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal called an emergency strike, which had party representatives from New Delhi rushing to the city.
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In the emergency meeting Mamata hinted that she is mulling to pull out her party from from the UPA as the price hike could further destabilise lives of the people in the middle class and below it. Although the details of the meeting were not disclosed, TMC's general secretary said that Mamata saw the decision as grossly improper.
Apart from West Bengal, pressure also mounted from Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu where the respective governments labelled the hike as a cruel joke on the people. Mayawati was quoted as saying by firstpost that “The central government’s decision to deregulate oil companies has led to anarchy resulting in inflation.”
She further added that the government’s inability to regulate to oil companies is leading to such tumultuous times compounded by rising food prices and inflation. Adding to the concerns was Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who said that, “The Centre is frequently hiking fuel prices, especially at a time when its wrong economic policies and mismanagement have resulted in spiralling prices of all commodities,” as quoted saying by firstpost.
