The Opposition AIADMK and its allies today decided to support the nation-wide hartal call given by 13 political parties on April 27 to protest against the Congress-led UPA Government’s failure to contain the rising prices of essential commodities.

The decision to support the hartal was taken at a Coordination committee meeting held at AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa’s Poes garden residence here.

MDMK General Secretary, CPI(M) State Secretary G Ramakrishnan, his predecessor N Varadharajan, CPI leader R Nallakannu, Mahendran and Mr Kathiravan of All India Forward Bloc participated in the meeting.

A joint statement issued after the meeting said the wrong policies of the Centre had led to the price rise.

The leaders also appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to make the hartal a success and appealed to traders, trade unions, transport operators and the labour force to make the strike a succcess in the State.

The hartal call was given by 13 parties, including the Janata Dal (Secular), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rashtriya Lok Dal and the left parties, protesting against the hike in excise and custom duties on petrol and diesel and reduction in fertiliser and food subsidies.