Kolkata, Dec 9 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Wednesday slammed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for failing to control rising prices of essentials and its pro-privatisation policies.

"The central government claims to be a government of aam aadmi. But it has failed to bring down the prices of essentials which is effecting the common man most," he told a rally of state government employees.

Blaming the UPA decision to start speculative futures trading of essentials for the price spiral, he said: "Big shopping malls were indulging in futures trading and as a consequence the prices are shooting through the roof."

The chief minister attacked the Congress-led UPA for following a policy of massive disinvestment and alleged it was increasing the gulf between the rich and the poor.

"Their policies are creating an economically polarised country," he said.

He urged the Left dominated state government employees' organisation to build up mass protests against price rise and pro-privatisation policies pursued by the UPA regime.

Bhattacharjee also criticised the central government for not agreeing to the state governments' demand for giving back 50 percent of the revenues collected by the states.