Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 7 (IANS) With prices of essential items sky rocketing in Kerala, rival political fronts in the state have started blaming each other for it.
The price of onions has shot up beyond Rs.40 a kg, while rice costs around Rs.30 per kg.

The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front Monday blamed the ruling Left government for failing to effectively control rising prices.

Speaking to reporters, UDF convenor P.P. Thankachen said the prices of essential items were the highest in Kerala and the coalition would protest the hike.

“Our supporters will organize protest marches in all the village bodies in the state Wednesday. On Dec 22, the women’s wing of the UDF will lay siege to the state secretariat,” said Thankachen.

Meanwhile, the ruling Left Democratic Front blamed the central government for the rising prices and said it would hold protests rallies against the “wrong policies of the centre”.

The LDF has also decided to form a cabinet committee chaired by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, with Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and State Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran as members, to tackle rising prices.

Divakaran told reporters that the government would pump Rs.150 crore to stabilize the open market.

“We have conducted 2,300 raids to contain hoarding and black marketing and registered 300 cases. The centre is putting unnecessary blame on us after the hefty increase of Rs.5 per kg for rice and Rs.4 per kg for wheat. Despite that we have lifted 25,000 tonnes of rice and another 10,000 tonnes would be lifted soon for ration shops,” said Divakaran.

He said there are 3,100 fair price shops run by various departments of the government and the prices at these shops were 70 percent less as compared to the open market prices.