Trinamool Congress not to oppose Bharat bandh on streets

The Trinamool Congress was in-principle opposed to tomorrow's bandh called by Left and non-Congress parties against the hike in fuel prices, but party workers would not take to the streets against it, party chief Mamata Banerjee said today.

"As a partner of the Congress-led UPA, we were the first to protest against the hike and we think there should be a roll-back in prices of kerosene, diesel and LPG to benefit the common people," Banerjee told reporters.

"Had the prices of essential commodities come down because of bandhs, I would have been happy. But prices do not come down and only increase, she said.

Banerjee also said that cess on petro products was the highest in West Bengal and if it was withdrawn, people would benefit.

Asking who would pay for the enormous loss caused by bandhs, she said despite being in power, Left Front major, CPI(M), was calling one bandh after another.

Banerjee also questioned how development would take and the government run if bandhs were called so frequently.

She said that the CPI(M) would be happy if the Trinamool Congress left the UPA government, but not the people.