In Kolkata, fresh from a vote erosion at last month’s panchayat polls, the CPI(M) was quick to grab its plank for the general elections by calling a statewide bandh for 12 hours beginning 6 am on Thursday. The shutdown will also be held in Kerala and Tripura.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Bannerjee followed it with an announcement of a 24-hour bandh on Friday. She said the CPI(M) had no moral right to call a bandh. “They should withdraw support to the UPA if they have guts,” she said.

So, from dawn on Thursday, West Bengal will go into a holiday mode for five days. First, the bandh on Thursday and Friday, followed by Saturday and Sunday when state Government offices are closed. Monday (June 9) happens to be Jamai Sasthi — the son-in-law’s day. There is a trend of people staying away from offices to celebrate the day.

“The Left parties have demanded from the UPA Government a review of the decision on the price hikes,” Left leaders Prakash Karat (CPI-M), A B Bardhan (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and T J Chandrachoodan (RSP) said in a joint statement in New Delhi.

Asked whether the Left parties would review continuance of support to the Government over the issue, RSP leader Abani Roy said it would be discussed at a meeting of the four parties later this month. This is likely to follow the proposed meeting of the UPA-Left coordination committee on nuclear deal. According to sources in the CPI(M), the party is angry since the “Government has simply ignored its alternative suggestions”. In the recently held Central Committee meeting of the party, the Politburo was authorised to take the final decision on party’s support to the UPA Government. There were strong demands to withdraw support. And then it was decided that the party would continue support until the Government took some drastically anti-popular measures.

After the meeting, CPM general secretary Karat had said the CPM was not ready for any negotiation on fuel price rise. “We will not accept it at any cost,” he had said.

“The UPA Government will have to pay a heavy political price for taking this decision,” said CPI national secretary D Raja. He mentioned about “redefining” the relation between the Left and the UPA Government.

Chandrachoodan said the party’s decision to withdraw its member from the UPA-Left coordination committee had now been vindicated. “We will seriously raise the issue in the next meeting of the Left parties and this time a final decision would be made,” he said.