Left parties will have to take up issues, as TMC will not do it: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

KOLKATA: The Left will have to take to the streets on issues like the rail fare hike, price rise and joblessness, senior CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said today alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress would not do anything.

"The BJP government at the Centre has effected steep railway fare hike, prices of essential items are also rising, but will the Trinamool Congress with its 34 MPs protest in the Lok Sabha?" Bhattacharjee, a CPI(M) Politburo member, said on the last day of a three-day demonstration by the Left Front to protest against a slew of issues.

"The Trinamool Congress has so many MPs, but they will not do anything," Bhattacharjee said.

The former West Bengal chief minister said "It is the red flag only which stands beside the workers and the poor, so we have to take to the streets to protest."

He said that supporters and workers of the Left parties would have to protest on issues like price rise, unrest in jute mills and lack of jobs for the educated youth.

The Left Front organised the demonstration to protest issues like price rise of essentials, law and order in West Bengal and alleged atrocities on Left Front workers.