Agartala, May 15 : The Left parties in Tripura today held rallies and marches across the state to protest against the “'failure of the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government”' to check the rising prices of essential commodities.

The CPI and CPI (M) activists in the state shouted slogans, demanding immediate steps by the Centre to reduce the prices of essential commodities.

Local leaders, Member of Parliaments along with hundreds of Left activists attended a rally at Agartala.

The activists also took out protest marches in many places raising anti-Union government slogans for its failure to implement the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).

Senior CPI (M) leader and MP Khagen Das said that it was most unfortunate that the present UPA government, which was supported by Left parties, has completely failed to implement the CMP and has also ruined the economy.

He added that the UPA Government should ban futures trading in all essential commodities, withdraw all Bills aimed at allowing foreign direct investment in the commodities market particularly in the agriculture sector, universalise the Public

Distribution System, rolls back the oil price hike, strengthen the essential commodities law and change the taxation structure of the petroleum products.

However, Das added that a CPI (M) top-level meeting on the nuclear deal is going to take place on May 23 and it shall decide the fate of the deal. (ANI)