NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister, V. P. Singh, on Thursday expressed confidence in the stability of the United Progressive Alliance Government and said the Left parties would never destabilise it. Satisfied with the Government's performance in most areas, he, however, voiced disappointment over the scant attention paid to slum dwellers and the agricultural sector.

At a press conference here, Mr. Singh said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had run ``the coalition fairly well though the Left parties at times put their views strongly.'' There was nothing wrong in their opposing certain policies. ``A number of issues they raise have merit.''

Eager to see the UPA Government run its full term, Mr. Singh said weakening it would give the Bharatiya Janata Party a golden opportunity to claim that it alone could lead a coalition and provide stability.

"Happy balance'

Seeing no merit in the BJP's contention that Congress president Sonia Gandhi controlled the Government, Mr. Singh said there was a ``happy balance between her and the Prime Minister, with the former managing party matters and the latter the Government.'' This arrangement and the Prime Minister's personal credibilitywere an advantage to the Government.

Among the Government's achievements, Mr. Singh listed the improvement in India's relations with China and Pakistan, the enactment of the Right to Information Bill and the introduction of the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Bill. Though the Bill had its infirmities, a beginning was made. He was optimistic that the loopholes would be plugged.

Critical of the UPA ignoring the agricultural sector, Mr. Singh said the Government seemed to have realised its folly and was trying to make amends through the multicrore Bharat Nirman project. On slum dwellers, he said the Congress should at least keep its election promise of relocating them.

As for the ``tainted ministers'' controversy, Mr. Singh said a law ought to be enacted to address the issue. Refusing to comment on charges being framed against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, he said that after the bitter experience of Bofors he stopped speaking out on individual cases.

"Effective instrument"

``Nothing ever comes out, and you end up being the accused.'' This being the case, the Right to Information law would be an effective instrument in fighting corruption as now people were empowered to fight such ills.

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