Kolkata, Sep 9 (IANS): With the potato traders in West Bengal on an indefinite strike from Tuesday, the state's Congress chief said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken the dispute as a "prestige issue".

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also expressed apprehensions that the people - particularly the poor - would be hard hit as the prices of the tuber are likely to shoot up.

"I don't understand why the chief minister is battling the potato traders by taking the issue as a matter of prestige. If the strike continues, the potato supply to the markets will come down, and consequently the poor people will be hard hit," he told the media.

"But the Trinamool Congress government's administration is taking the matter casually," he added.

The potato traders are on an indefinite strike from Tuesday protesting against police atrocities and also because the chief minister has not met them to discuss their problems despite having promised to do so.