Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday began her 30-hour sit-in protest or dharna against the central government near BR Ambedkar's Statue at Red Road in Kolkata.

Mamata is protesting  against the central government's alleged delay in disbursing funds of the MGNREGA scheme, price hike and an alleged attempt to malign the state.

She will end her dharna at 6 pm on Thursday.

In close proximity to Mamata's dharna venue, the Chief Minister's parliamentarian nephew and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will be holding a public meeting near Shahid Minar in downtown Kolkata.

Abhishek's meeting venue is also near the site where state government employees have camped for over 60 days with demands of hike in Dearness Allowance (DA).

As a counter to Mamata and Abhishek's programmes, the opposition camps are not far behind in upping the ante against the incumbent.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has camped near Shyambazar Metro Gate Number 1 for the entire day.

Various BJP leaders including its state president Sukanta Majumdar and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will be present in the protest against the alleged corruption in public recruitments and central funds by the Trinamool government.

Raising the corruption issue against the Mamata government, the Left will hold a march from Maula Ali to Park Circus in the afternoon.

Mamata's Trinamool is facing massive corruption allegations on various fronts with some of its top leaders being arrested.

Former West Bengal Education Minister and now suspended Trinamool leader Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after a huge sum of money was recovered from his close aide Arpita Mukherjee's flat in connection with the teacher recruitment scam.

Trinamool district president of Birbhum, Anubrata Mondal, is now in Delhi's Tihar Jail months after he was arrested in connection with the coal scam.