Kolkata: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday criticised the central government, saying it could not shirk responsibility for its failure to check the escalating prices of essential commodities.

"The central government cannot shirk responsibility for its failure to control the price rise of essentials. We want the central government to convene an all-party meeting to regularise the prices," said Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress party is the second largest partner of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) dispensation.

This is the second straight day that Banerjee has made the Congress-led UPA the target of her attack.

Saturday, she took on the UPA government for its "lack of seriousness" in combating the Maoist violence, which is going on unabated in three western districts of West Bengal.

Banerjee accused it of giving oxygen to state's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in regaining political turf by launching the joint security operation against the Left-wing ultras in the Lalgarh belt.

Maoists are active in Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore districts of West bengal.

"I have already asked the union government to immediately call a meeting of all chief ministers to initiate adequate measures to control the runaway prices," Banerjee said.

The Trinamool Congress chief claimed the Left Front government has failed to establish a strong public distribution system which led to the prices of essential commodities shooting through the roof.

"The state government here is artificially increasing the prices of essentials. The public distribution system has completely collapsed during the Left Front regime."

"The state government is just doing nothing to control the price rise," said Banerjee.

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