The Hindu : National : Left awaits communication on `navratnas'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 14, 2005

National

National

Left awaits communication on `navratnas'

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Left parties have decided to take up with the United Progressive Alliance issues such as rise in prices of oil, privatisation of water supply, coming World Trade Organisation meeting and foreign direct investment in the retail sector.

The Left parties coordination committee, meeting here on Tuesday, decided to await a formal assurance from the UPA that the Government has put on hold the decision to disinvest public sector navaratna companies.

On the sidelines of the National Integration Council meeting here last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had given an indication to this effect to the Left leaders.

The Left would await a written assurance before taking any view on the decision to return to the coordination committee meetings.

"They (UPA) have indicated that they do not plan to proceed with divesting in BHEL or other navaratna companies... we will take a decision after we receive a formal communication in this direction,'' Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said later.

The Left parties suspended participation in these meetings in June following differences over the Government's decision to offload its equity in BHEL.

Delhi Jal Board issue

On privatisation of Delhi Jal Board, the Left parties decided to oppose the World Bank dictated move. The Left parties would meet the Prime Minister on his return.

With the Hong Kong round of WTO negotiations scheduled for December, the Left parties want to discuss the issue with the Government. They had submitted a written note to which there has been a response.

Another area which the Left parties would submit a note to the Government is on the proposal to open up the retail sector to foreign direct investment.

Bihar elections also came up for discussion, especially since the CPI (M) was contesting the polls along with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, while the other three Left parties, the CPI, the All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party are in another front that includes the Lok Jan Shakti Party and the CPI (M-L) Liberation.

Mr. Karat said the Left parties have different views on the approach to be adopted in Bihar.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National