Mumbai, Feb 5 (IANS): The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party staged protests in different parts of the state against each other over the hike in fuel prices and recovery of alleged excess power bills, respectively, here on Friday.

The Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress carried out vociferous protests in different cities slamming the runaway hike in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas and attacked the BJP at the Centre for doing nothing to mitigate the sufferings of the masses.

The BJP countered this by agitations in different parts of the state outside the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) premises for seeking to recover the alleged excess electricity bills generated during the lockdown period last year from a section of its consumers.

The demonstrations by the ruling and Opposition parties were held in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Kolhapur, Latur, Aurangabad, Nagpur and other cities and some districts with waving placards, carrying banners and raising slogans against each other.

Besides, the MVA allies carried out bullock carts carrying motor-cycles and empty gas cylinders were taken out in processions raising slogans against the BJP at the Centre on the people's plight at the runaway fuel prices.

Similarly, the BJP carried huge cardboard 'locks' and symbolically 'locked' up the MSEDCL offices in different cities to protest at the moves to recover pending dues against threats of disconnecting electric supply to the defaulters.

Led by various leaders from the MVA, the BJP protests were led by Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar and ex-MP Kirit Somaiya among others.

Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Pandurang Sakpal demanded that the BJP at the Centre should slash various taxes and levies which can reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas which in turn would bring down the high inflation.

The BJP countered by saying that even the state government can reduce certain taxes to slash fuel prices and warned that it would intensify its agitation if the electric supply of bill defaulters was disconnected.

The police detained several leaders or activists from both sides in different cities during the protests and later released them.

These protests came a day before the proposed nationwide 'Chakka Jam' programme for 3 hours from noon on Saturday at various highways or other major roads in support of the farmers' agitation outside Delhi.

Meanwhile several Maharashtra farm leaders including Shiv Sena's Kishore Tiwari said on Friday that the stage is set for a peaceful three-hour 'Chakka Jam' in different parts of the state and requested people to avoid travelling during those hours.