Sharad Rao blinks, calls off Nov 9 autorickshaw strike

Veteran union leader Sharad Rao was forced to call off the proposed autorickshaw strike on November 9 after chief minister Prithviraj Chavan took the steam out of the agitation.

“Since talks with the government are going on, it has been decided to cancel the proposed autorickshaw bandh on November 9,” Rao said in an official statement released by the Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s Union.

“In case of an increase in CNG prices, autorickshaws in Mumbai and Thane will not ply till the prices are brought down to the existing level,” the statement stated.

State transport commissioner VN More said he has not received anything in writing about the strike plan. “We are open to negotiations with the union,” More said.

A senior official from the transport department said, “It is highly irresponsible of him. It only shows that man has become insecure after being neglected from all quarters. The CM gave a strong reply to him and the transport department cut him to size.”

Meanwhile, the Petrol Dealers’ Association has cancelled its plans to go on a city-wide strike. “We have called off the strike. The state-level co-ordination committee decided that our demands will be addressed within a month. We have asked them to give it to us in writing whenever they declare their decision regarding our demands,” said Ravi Shinde, president of the Petrol Dealers’ Association.