Private buses, truck, taxis and autorickshaws kept off the roads in most places. In northern districts, shops also remained closed in many towns in Kerala
Protests over fuel price hike paralysed normal life in Kerala and Tripura today while in Andhra Pradesh opposition legislators rode bicycles and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu took a bullock cart ride.
There were no reports of any untoward incident anywhere.
The dawn-to-dusk strike called by pro-Left transport sector unions created a "bandh-like" situation in Left-ruled Kerala as communist parties and their affiliates also pledged support to the protest, demanding a rollback of hike in duty on petrol and diesel prices, reports reaching the state capital said.
Private buses, truck, taxis and autorickshaws kept off the roads in most places. In northern districts, shops also remained closed in many towns.
Examinations scheduled for the day by the universities were cancelled in view of the strike.
However, no violence was reported from anywhere, police said.
In Hyderabad, Naidu left his bullet-proof vehicle to hop on to a bullock cart to attend the Assembly proceedings.
The bullock cart ride was part of the protest organised by TDP, CPI and CPI-M from the NTR Ghat to the state Assembly in which MLAs and MLCs belonging to opposition parties rode bicycles and followed Naidu.
After riding the bullock cart for over 500 metres, Naidu, who is Leader of Opposition in the AP Assembly, switched over to a bicycle and pedalled his way to the legislature building.
Hundreds of BJP activists also staged protests in New Delhi and water cannons had to be used to disperse them.
In Tripura, vehicular movement came to a halt in the wake of the 24-hour transport strike called jointly by the Motor Shramik Union (TMSU) and Auto-Rickshaw Workers Union (TAWU). Attendance at Civil Secretariat here and government offices was also affected.
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