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Ranchi, May 27: Adding fuel to voices against the recent petrol price hike, JVM has decided to “walk” the populist plank on May 30 ahead of the Hatia Assembly by-election next month.
The party today announced all its workers, including JVM president Babulal Marandi, would avoid automobiles on Wednesday.
“We would prefer covering long distances on foot to using automobiles. In fact, the soaring price rise, especially the latest hike in petroleum rates, is our vote plank in the Hatia bypoll,” said JVM principal general secretary Pradeep Yadav.
Yadav demanded that the Congress-led government at the Centre rationalise excise duty and customs duty and that the state government minimise Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol.
“Both the Centre and state should make consolidated efforts to check price rise. But the Jharkhand government is only interested in making matters worse,” he alleged.
Citing an example, he said one-and-a-half year ago, the Arjun Munda government withdrew subsidy on LPG. Road permit charges and various types of licence fees had also been increased several times, while electricity tariff was likely to be raised again, he added.
JVM supporters will also stage statewide demonstrations to protest against petrol price rise tomorrow.
“The Hatia bypoll result will also be a mandate on 11 years of bad governance by various political parties in Jharkhand,” Yadav said.
In reply to a query, he accused Ajsu of trying to lure voters in Hatia with money. He demanded that the Election Commission depute more observers to keep watch in the constituency.
Yadav claimed that JVM nominee Ajay Nath Shahdeo was not only popular among the masses but also known for his clean image.
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