The Left parties in the southern Indian state of Kerala and their youth and trade union outfits have come out strongly against the recent petrol price hike in the country.
While activists of Communist party of India(Marxist) youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) blocked traffic in the state's capital on Sunday to protest against the oil companies' decision to raise petrol price, leaders of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) warned the Centre of a strong agitation if oil companies did not withdraw the price hike.
Pointing out that this was the sixth hike in petrol price over the last one year and the second in a month. LDF convener Vaikom Viswam said it would hit Kerala hard because the State was heavily dependent on production centres elsewhere for its consumption needs.