Chandigarh, Jan 17 (IANS: AAP activists led by Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann on Friday staged a sit-in protest outside the Punjab assembly here against the recent hike in electricity rates.

The protesters, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab unit chief Mann and party legislators, were demanding roll back of the hike.

Mann blamed the present Congress government and the previous Akali Dal government for favouring the companies.

The main opposition AAP demanded review of the power purchase agreements with private thermal plants.

A day earlier, the AAP legislators staged a walkout from the assembly on the first day of the two-day special session in protest against the denial of permission to move a private member Bill, seeking termination of the power purchase agreements.

Legislator Aman Arora said that by refusing to move the private member Bill, the Congress government had once again indicated that it stood with the power mafia and not with the common man, who were paying hefty bills through the nose.

Earlier, hundreds of AAP activists on January 10 were stopped from heading towards Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's official residence here after the police used water cannons to disperse them.

They were protesting against the recent hike in electricity rates by 2.14 per cent.