Left parties condemn power tariff hike

Warangal: The Left party leaders and activists have taken to the streets opposing the power tariff hike announced by Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) recently. Condemning the State Government's decision on power tariff the leaders of different Left parties came together and staged a massive dharna at several places across the district on Monday. They staged a day-long agitation at Kaloji Centre in Hanamkonda. CPI district secretary T Srinivasa Rao, CPI (M) district secretary G Nagaiah, CPI (ML Liberation) M Raghupathi, CPI (ML) Prathighatana leader M Ilaiah, Forward Bloc district secretary E Venu, MCPI leader S Sambhaiah and others participated in the dharna Hundreds of Left party workers who took part in the agitation have raised slogans against the State Government and flayed the Government for its anti-people proposal. They demanded that the State Government to immediately rollback the power tariff hike. CPI (M) leader Nagaiah accused the government of trying to burden the people for its own fault. The government, instead of owning the responsibility for the crisis, has been burdening the people by hiking the tariff. The Government move is only to protect Genco and Transco which are in deep loss. CPI leader Srinivasa Rao noted that state government was committing grave mistake by deciding to hike power tariff. The people were already burdened to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore. With the new proposals the government would have to face the wrath of the people, he added. The government was looting the poor people in the name of surcharge and now the new tariff plans. The Left parties would fight against the government to protect the interests of the people, he added. Left leaders Ch Rangaiah, M Kumarswamy, N Ratnamala, J Srinivas, P Komaraiah, Botla Naresh, Udutha Ravinder, U Nageswara Rao, Bhanunayak , Mekala Ravi, Sadanandam, G Ramesh, Sk Bashmiya, Jannu prasad, Jannu prameela and others were present.