New Delhi: The reforms introduced by the Prime Minister last week have provoked a political crisis with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee yanking her party, the Trinamool Congress, from the ruling coalition. Opposition parties ranging from the Left to the right have called a strike tody to demand a reversal of the diesel prices and the retail reforms -the government has indicated neither is possible.
But with Ms Banerjee parachuting out of the UPA, the government is now in a minority and dependent on regional powerhouses Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati to remain in power. Both leaders do not participate in the government but provide external support. Mayawati has helped the government by deciding to skip the bandh in Uttar Pradesh - not least because the strike there has been called by her political rival, Mr Yadav, whose young son Akhilesh replaced her as chief minister earlier this year. In a concession to the Central government, Mr Yadav is in Lucknow today, distancing himself from the Left leaders who are protesting against the UPA in Delhi. Mr Yadav's gesture indicates that he will not allow the UPA to collapse just yet, largely because he is determined not to let the main opposition BJP take centre-stage and benefit from mid-term elections.
Today's strike is being supported by bus and truck drivers across the city against the Rs. 5 or 12% hike in diesel prices.
But with Ms Banerjee parachuting out of the UPA, the government is now in a minority and dependent on regional powerhouses Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati to remain in power. Both leaders do not participate in the government but provide external support. Mayawati has helped the government by deciding to skip the bandh in Uttar Pradesh - not least because the strike there has been called by her political rival, Mr Yadav, whose young son Akhilesh replaced her as chief minister earlier this year. In a concession to the Central government, Mr Yadav is in Lucknow today, distancing himself from the Left leaders who are protesting against the UPA in Delhi. Mr Yadav's gesture indicates that he will not allow the UPA to collapse just yet, largely because he is determined not to let the main opposition BJP take centre-stage and benefit from mid-term elections.
Today's strike is being supported by bus and truck drivers across the city against the Rs. 5 or 12% hike in diesel prices.
Delhi: Shops in markets like Chandni Chowk in old Delhi are closed; so are schools. BJP president Nitin Gadkari will lead the party's protests in the capital. At Jantar Mantar, a crowd of opposition workers have begun gathering. Opposition leaders like Sharad Yadav, Murli Manohar Joshi, Prakash Karat and AB Bardhan are expected to join a dharna there later in the day.
Uttar Pradesh: Protestors stopped trains in Mathura, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow while BJP workers and traders blocked the Agra-Gwalior Highway by burning tyres. Major markets remained closed at a number of places in UP, including the state capital.
Raising slogans against FDI in retail, a group of workers held a demonstration outside the Walmart store at Sultanpur road in Lucknow.
Kolkata: The Left 's call for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal virtually shut down the state's capital. Flights were not affected, but some trains were running late after they were blocked by protestors. Yesterday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the Left not to go ahead with the strike, arguing that it will financially hurt a state that's already bankrupt.
"I can tell you that the state loses Rs. 1737 crore on a bandh day," she said, pointing out that her party decided three years ago not to call or support any strikes. BJP and workers from her Trinamool party clashed in Howrah. In Baguighati near the Kolkata airport, effigies of government leaders were burnt by BJP workers. 15 protesters have been arrested.
Bihar: Activists from the BJP and its allies gathered at railway stations across Bihar and forcibly stopped train services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
"Protesters have tried to target trains and bus stations and (we expect) they will also target shops and business establishments," Ravinder Kumar, a senior police officer in Patna, the capital of Bihar, said. All private schools in the state were closed because of the strike, but government schools and offices remained open. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad was seen cycling in a rally.
Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra are not seeing a large impact of the bandh because of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Shiv Sena and even the BJP, which has called the bandh, have said that they will not enforce the nationwide strike in the state because of the ongoing festival. While the MNS supports FDI in retail, the BJP and Shiv Sena are opposed to it. So public transport, malls, super markets all other services are likely to function normally. Schools and colleges are also open.
Bangalore: In BJP-ruled Bangalore, the bandh was more or less complete. Many of the city's famous IT companies remained closed. There was hardly any public transport available - passengers arriving at the city's three railway stations found it hard to enter the city with virtually no buses, autos or taxis available. Shops, cinemas and schools were not open.
Hyderabad: In the capital of Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh, the bandh had little impact. Buses were running on schedule and schools stayed open.
Uttar Pradesh: Protestors stopped trains in Mathura, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow while BJP workers and traders blocked the Agra-Gwalior Highway by burning tyres. Major markets remained closed at a number of places in UP, including the state capital.
Raising slogans against FDI in retail, a group of workers held a demonstration outside the Walmart store at Sultanpur road in Lucknow.
Kolkata: The Left 's call for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal virtually shut down the state's capital. Flights were not affected, but some trains were running late after they were blocked by protestors. Yesterday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the Left not to go ahead with the strike, arguing that it will financially hurt a state that's already bankrupt.
"I can tell you that the state loses Rs. 1737 crore on a bandh day," she said, pointing out that her party decided three years ago not to call or support any strikes. BJP and workers from her Trinamool party clashed in Howrah. In Baguighati near the Kolkata airport, effigies of government leaders were burnt by BJP workers. 15 protesters have been arrested.
Bihar: Activists from the BJP and its allies gathered at railway stations across Bihar and forcibly stopped train services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
"Protesters have tried to target trains and bus stations and (we expect) they will also target shops and business establishments," Ravinder Kumar, a senior police officer in Patna, the capital of Bihar, said. All private schools in the state were closed because of the strike, but government schools and offices remained open. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad was seen cycling in a rally.
Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra are not seeing a large impact of the bandh because of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Shiv Sena and even the BJP, which has called the bandh, have said that they will not enforce the nationwide strike in the state because of the ongoing festival. While the MNS supports FDI in retail, the BJP and Shiv Sena are opposed to it. So public transport, malls, super markets all other services are likely to function normally. Schools and colleges are also open.
Bangalore: In BJP-ruled Bangalore, the bandh was more or less complete. Many of the city's famous IT companies remained closed. There was hardly any public transport available - passengers arriving at the city's three railway stations found it hard to enter the city with virtually no buses, autos or taxis available. Shops, cinemas and schools were not open.
Hyderabad: In the capital of Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh, the bandh had little impact. Buses were running on schedule and schools stayed open.
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