Bengal Polls 2021: Mamata Banerjee to hold protest march against LPG price hike in Siliguri

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address his first election rally post announcement of poll schedule in West Bengal today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a 'padayatra' to protest against the steep hike in fuel prices, including LPG cylinders.

"BJP is looting people by regularly hiking LPG prices. Women have been hit the hardest and I'm disgusted at the Centre's lack of intent to cut taxes and lessen their burden. In protest, today I'll be leading an all-women michil at Siliguri. REDUCE LPG PRICES NOW!, Mamata tweeted.

The poll fever in West Bengal is all set to go high on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a rally in the state capital and the chief minister will hold a protest march in the northern part of the state.

The fuel price hike has become a major issue. LPG Last week, the price of the cooking gas LPG was hiked by Rs 25 per cylinder across all categories, including subsidised fuel and those availed by Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries.

"We will stage a protest march in Siliguri tomorrow against the rise in cooking gas price, carrying LPG cylinders during the protest," Banerjee told reporters yesterday.

While Modi will hold a rally at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. This will be PM Modi's first public rally in the state after the announcement of the dates for eight-phased Assembly polls for 294 constituencies in West Bengal. According to party sources, many folk artists have been invited to perform at the event.

Banerjee, following her arrival in Siliguri from Kolkata on Saturday, told reporters that thousands of people, especially women, will assemble at Darjeeling More at 1 pm to join the protest march.

Last month, the chief minister warned the centre of launching a bigger protest if the latter does not reduce the prices of fuel.

Briefing the mediapersons outside her residence at Kalighat here, Banerjee had said, "The prices of fuel have been increased by double even when the crude oil prices have reduced by 50 per cent in the international market. If they do not reduce the prices we will start a bigger protest. Farmers are already agitating on the streets. If the common people also come to the streets, then Modi babu cannot do anything. Intimidating with agencies will not work."

She also drove an electric scooter to travel to her residence in Kalighat from state secretariat 'Nabanna' in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike.

Over a period of time, the prices of LPG, petrol and diesel have increased sharply in the country. Opposition parties have held protests in different parts of the country over the fuel price rise.

Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are at loggerheads ahead of Assembly polls in West Bengal.

West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes in the state will take place on May 2. 

(With inputs from agencies)