CPI(M) to launch joint movement against price hike

Kolkata, May 28 : In a bid to increase pressure on the UPA government, the CPI(M) has decided to go for a joint countrywide movement with national regional parties against the proposed hike in prices of petroleum products and essentials.

The party in its Polit Bureau meeting, which concluded here today, decided that a detailed programme for the proposed movement would be worked out at a meeting with other Left parties in New Delhi on June One, and simultaneously it would send feelers to other non-communal democratic parties.

" We will talk to all political parties to launch a powerful countrywide movement against the proposed rise in prices of petroleum products, which would have a cascading effect on the prices of all essentials, " CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters. " We are contacting all the parties and confident that they would join us, " Mr Karat stated.

He said the proposed meeting on June One would also take up for discussion a few other issues on which the Left parties had differences with the Congress-led coalition government.

UNI