Date:26/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/26/stories/2008042652900300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Price rise: TDP, Left stage dharna

VIZIANAGARAM: The Telugu Desam and Left parties on Friday staged a dharna at the Collector’s Office and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajaskhara Reddy after garlanding it with vegetables in protest against the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

TDP polit bureau member P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, MLA Padala Aruna, TDP district president Y. Ramana Murty, B. Suribabu (CPI), M. Suryanarayana (CPI-M) and a host of leaders participated in the protest demonstration.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Ramana Murty said the Congress party, which promised to strengthen the public distribution system and provide subsidy of Rs. 100 on LPG connections before the 2004 elections, had increased the prices of petrol, diesel, iron, cement and other essential commodities.

While Mr. Suribabu demanded that the government conduct raids on private godowns, Mr. Suryanarayana said his party would intensify the agitation.