Police arrested CPM state Secretary BV Raghavulu for protesting against the power tariff hike here today. A larger number of workers led by Mr Rabhavulu observed rasta roko at RTC ‘X’ roads and also burnt the effigy of the state government. The party held a protest rally at various places in the city and also organised dharnas at various district headquarters in the state against the hike by the ruling Congress party. Party leaders and supporters carried kerosene lanterns to highlight the steep power crisis. According to reports reached here, several CPM leaders were also arrested at various places in the state when they were observing dharnas in infornt of district collectorate offices and power offices. Later talking to the media persons, Mr Raghavulu said the agitation would be intensified further until the power hike was withdrawn by the state government. We are also discussing with other parties like TDP and CPI to intensify the agitation, he added. A report from Kakinada said, workers of left parties today staged protest demonstration in front of the Collectorate denouncing the government for hiking the power tariff unilaterally. They also staged Rasta roko paralyzing the traffic on Kakinada-Samalkot road for some time and burnt the effigy of the state government in front of the Collectorate. Later, a delegation comprising Dadala Subbarao, Duvva Seshu Babji, T S Prakash and Baby Rani (CPM), Pappu Adinarayana (CPI) has called on the Collector Neethu Kumary and presented a memorandum demanding the roll back in power tariff hike. UNI
