From correspondents in West Bengal, India, 02:03 AM IST

Supporters of the Congress party led by former Kolkata mayor Subrata Mukherjee burnt effigy of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat here Sunday, protesting the withdrawal of support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

'We took out a protest rally Sunday against the blackmailing attitude of CPI-M and other Left parties. They are conspiring to uproot the Congress-led UPA government under the cover of n-deal,' Mukherjee told IANS Sunday afternoon.

'Our supporters burnt an effigy of Karat at Hazra crossing in south Kolkata to highlight his shrewdness that is responsible for the present political situation in the country.'

'We will take out protest rallies across West Bengal till the July 22 confidence vote turns in our favour,' he added.

The Left parties withdrew their support to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government July 8 after failing to resolve differences over the India-US civilian nuclear deal.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)