The Hindu : National : Sonia for economic reforms

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Friday, Jul 07, 2006

National

National

Sonia for economic reforms

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: After the public display of a near-split over disinvestment in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress are keen that the episode should not be misread, both within and outside the United Progressive Alliance.

The DMK leadership felt that the Government could have shown a little more sensitivity to the party's political difficulties back in Tamil Nadu and the least that the Centre could have done was to show the Chief Minister the courtesy of a consultation.

"22,000 workers are on strike and nobody in New Delhi shows any concern? Ideally, the Finance Minister should have gone there to explain to the workers why disinvestment was necessary," argued a DMK Minister. On the other hand, the Congress leadership was anxious to let it be known that there was no "backing out of the reform process."

Sources close to Sonia Gandhi said she was convinced that the United Progressive Alliance's attention remained focussed on primary education, public health and rural employment. All these objectives could be achieved "only in the context of faster growth and increased resource mobilisation."

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