YSR Congress party would picket all the bus depots in the state on October 26 if the hiked bus fares are not rolled back by Sunday.
Party spokesperson Ambati Rambabu told reporters that the decision was taken as per the direction of the Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The hike of 10 % is very harsh on the people and the party would hold dharnas at all bus depots in all the 13 districts if the Andhra Pradesh State fails to roll back the hike by tomorrow.
Demanding the rollback of hiked RTC bus fare, YSR Congress has said that Chandrababu Naidu has been pursuing his anti-people policies with more vigour to favour the private sector.
“The hike in bus fares will have a cascading effect and will burn the common man further and the Chief Minister who said during the electioneering that he would not increase any fares, including RTC charges for the next five years, is at his old game,” party spokesperson Tammineni Sitaram told reporters here.
On earlier occasion, he had increased the charges in the name of levy and now he increased the fare from 5% to 10 % which should be rolled back immediately. The coterie of private bus operators will be benefiting out of the hike, he said.
While the crude oil charges have fallen from $ 166 to $ 44 per barrel, the slide has reflection in the petroleum prices and on the other hand Chandrababu Naidu has imposed an additional 4 % VAT and with this increase, the fares are bound to go up steeply and we demand immediate roll back, he said.
While bus fares are hiked the Chief Minister has reduced VAT and brought down the prices of cheap liquor which shows his preferences, he added. (INN)