New Delhi: An end to the indefinite strike by truck operators, which entered the seventh day today (Aug 27, 2004), appeared in sight with Finance Minister P Chidambaram agreeing to meet them on the issue of levy of 10 per cent service tax.

"At the intervention of CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, the Finance Minister has called us for talks. We will meet him today," Delhi Transporters Association president Bhim Wadhwa told reporters in New Delhi.

Late last evening, the Delhi police arrested J M Saksena, secretary general of India Motor Transport Congress, the country's largest truck union with nearly three million vehicles, which is spearheading the strike.

Saksena was arrested under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

The strike, which began last weekend, has disrupted movement of goods and pushed up prices.

"Our strike is on. For the seventh day today, millions of trucks are off the road," Wadhwa said.

The strike could fuel inflation, which hit a three-and- half-year high of 7.96 per cent.

A nine-day truckers strike in April 2003 had crippled deliveries and slowed down quarterly industrial growth to 4.9 per cent.

Wadhwa said Surjeet had spoken to Chidambaram yesterday and requested him to meet the truck operators.

Till now, the Government was negotiating through Revenue Secretary Vineeta Rai whom the agitating truckers had said was not competent enough to take any decision and wanted an audience with the Finance Minister.

"We have at last been invited. We will meet the Finance Minister today," he said indicating the strike may end today.