The rising prices of essential commodities is pushing the people to the brink of economic crisis and for this the Congress party will be rejected by the common man in the coming general election, said CPI(M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao. He was addressing activists participating in a dharna organised by the party near the Sub-Collector’s office here on Thursday.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, he said, “The PM is advising people not to buy gold, but he should realise that people are far away from buying that precious metal, as they are unable to buy even onions.”

The soaring prices of essential commodities is hitting the common man below the belt, he pointed out. “One kg of rice costs over Rs. 50 and never in the history was the scene so bad that a kg of chilly cost Rs.100.”

He faulted the economic reforms of the Congress government for the present economic crisis and fall of rupee rate.

“The Congress government should keep ration and cooking gas out of the ambitious cash transfer scheme. Only pension and scholarships should be linked to the scheme,” he pointed out. According to him the free market policy and the forward trading policy were the main reasons for the price rise and fall of rupee in the international market. “The way out is rollback of the policies,” he said.

He further added that the government’s Food Security Bill was a populist bill in view of the coming election. “The Public Distribution System is yet to be established properly across the country and the government is talking of food security,” he said. Mr. Babu Rao said that the ongoing Samaikyandhra agitation and rise in fuel prices were adding to the woes of the people in the State.

“The PDS is using this period to black market the stocks. Even the rate of transportation has increased exorbitantly. A bus ticket from Vijayawada to Hyderabad that cost Rs. 300 is being sold for over Rs. 900, thanks to the strike by APSRTC. On the whole it is the common man who was hit the most,” said Mr. Babu Rao.