By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Friday called for a statewide shutdown May 31 to protest the hike in petrol prices by oil marketing companies.
At an emergency meeting, the office bearers of the party here decided to organise demonstrations and protests across the state on their own, even though the Left parties and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also have called a nation-wide shutdown the same day.
Oil companies Wednesday announced a hefty hike of Rs.6.28 per litre, exclusive of taxes, in prices of petrol.
“We are not with NDA or with Left parties. We will protest on our own,” BJD vice president Damodar Rout told IANS.
The BJD and other non-Congress parties have been organising protests, marches and demonstrations across the state since Thursday, the day after the hike was announced.