UPA ally Trinamool Congress protests petrol price hike

Kolkata, Jan 16 (PTI) Trinamool Congress, UPAconstituent at the Centre, today said it was not consultedbefore a decision regarding the latest hike in petrol priceswas taken, even as CPI-M''s labour wing announced a three-hourtransport strike tomorrow.

"Our leader Mamata Banerjee met Union Finance MinisterPranab Mukherjee last evening at the airport here, and eventhere the decision on hiking prices was not communicated toher," Trinamool MP Sudip Bandopadhyay told reporters here.

He said it would be better if such issues werediscussed among UPA members before such decisions were taken.

Saying that the price rise was a sensitive issue,Trinamool Congress senior leader Partha Chatterjee said, "Wewere not consulted before the hike was announced."

Chatterjee said statewide protest-rallies and meetingswould be held on January 17 and 18 against the latest petrolprice rise.

"We urge the Centre to roll back the petrol price hikeand control the prices of essentials," he said.

CPI-M''s trade union wing CITU also announced athree-hour statewide transport strike from noon tomorrow toprotest against the petrol price rise. CITU would also hold aprotest meeting at Metro Channel at 1.00 pm tomorrow.