Junagarh: The Congress party had given a six-hour bandh call against the sharp rise in fuel prices, but a majority of the party workers and leaders staying away from the bandh call has dealt a heavy blow to the grand old party in this town, Monday.
The Congress workers supported the bandh call and enforced closure of the shops and plying of vehicles in various parts of Kalahandi district. However, Junagarh town which was earlier known as the stronghold of the party threw up a different picture with only a lone party worker participating in bandh call while others ignored the call and stayed away. This has sent the chatters abuzz in the area.
The party leaders were left red-faced as none of the party workers participated in the bandh call with only a lone worker seen holding the party flag and calling people to observe the bandh. Normal life and traffic in the town remained as usual while all the business establishment remained open with all the party workers and leaders staying away from the bandh call except one.
In the afternoon, a lone party worker Chitta Ranjan Nial, who is a lawyer by profession, was seen holding a party flag staging demonstration on the Hati bridge on National Highway-26 in support of the bandh. Nial also gave away various slogans against the Union government over the newly framed farm laws as well as sharp rise in fuel prices and cooking gas. Vehicles flew past him as he went giving away slogans while staging the demonstration.
He alleged that the Union government has hoodwinked the people in the country by showing them the dream of good days (Achhe Din). The sharp rise in fuel and cooking gas prices is an example of good days of the Centre, he quipped.
When question about his lone participation in the bandh call, he said that only those workers are participating in the bandh who love the party and are inspired by its ideology. He added he is participating in bandh call as an honest party worker.
PNN