Trinamool leaders today demanded an immediate roll back of petroleum price hike and said they will continue a statewide agitation on the issue.

“We cannot accept the hike. The petroleum price hike is breaking the back of the poor and the working classes. We will take up the issue during the upcoming polls and explain our stand to the people,” Suvendu Adhikary, Trinamool MP and leader of the party’s youth wing, told The Indian Express.

Bengal is slated to go for the municipal polls soon and next year the crucial Assembly polls are also due.

Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Partho Chatterjee and Trinamool general secretary Madan Mitra also participated in the rally.

“Though the decision has been taken by the UPA government — with whom we have an alliance — we have to see the interest of the common people,” added Adhikary.

The Trinamool leaders announced that the agitations against price hike in general and petroleum price hike in particular will continue till the Centre goes for a roll back.

Today Trinamool supporters gathered near Esplanade and walked up to Jagubabu Bazar in south Kolkata shouting slogans against price hike. They, however, did not speak against Congress ministers.

Interestingly, Banerjee had softened her stand recently on the price hike issue and claimed that she will only ‘appeal’ to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and there was no need for a ‘fight’ or ‘quarrel’ over the issue.

According to party sources, leaders in Bengal, however, are finding it difficult to remain silent over the burning issue which has affected all people. Moreover, the ruling CPM has already started a campaign against the Trinamool accusing it of being responsible for the price hike — as it is a part of the Central government.