Price rise can cause trouble for the UPA in elections, warns Yechury

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday warned that the price rise was like a large albatross that could cause trouble for the UPA Government ahead of elections.

Kolkata, Apr 14 : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday warned that the price rise was like a "large albatross" that could cause trouble for the UPA Government ahead of elections.

"The price hike will be like a large albatross sitting on the UPA Government's neck in the coming elections, and as a supporting party we are telling them they will be in trouble," Yechury said at a programme on 'Inflation And Its Impact On The Economy'.

"The entire trajectory of the eight per cent plus economic growth would collapse unless the UPA Government reined in inflation and controlled prices which made the life of common people miserable," he added.

He said all Left MPs would march to Parliament in a procession against the price rise on Tuesday. This was not the normal way for the MPs to march inside Parliament.

The Left party along with the UNPA would hold a nationwide agitation throughout the country from April16 to 23 to put pressure on the UPA Government to bring down the prices of essential commodities.

"Let the police arrest us during the march," Yechury challenged.

When asked what was stopping the Left parties from withdrawing support to the UPA Government on this issue, he replied that both BJP and Congress have the same economic policy.

"If we pull down the UPA Government on the price rise issue, and if the BJP comes to power, they will follow the same policy. On the question of economic issue, the Congress and the BJP are almost the same," Yechury said.

He urged the Central Government to immediately ban forward trading on commodities and to strengthen the public distribution system besides restructuring taxes on petroleum products.

ANI