The Hindu : National : CPI (M) to review Government performance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006

National

National

CPI (M) to review Government performance

Special Correspondent

Not fully satisfactory, but no threat to UPA regime: Karat

— Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

Prakash Karat addressing a press conference in Patna on Tuesday.

PATNA: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has convened a central committee meeting for the last week of September to review the performance of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.

General secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here on Tuesday that though his party was not fully satisfied with the UPA regime's performance, there was no threat to the Government's stability. It had done well in employment and transparency in governance.

No third front

The CPI (M) leader was against the formation of a third alternative with a view to contesting elections but without commitment to policies and programmes.

The CPI (M), the Communist Party of India, the Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party would meet soon to strengthen Left unity at the national level.

Mr. Karat laid stress on implementation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). If the UPA failed to come right on the CMP, it would stand isolated from the people, he warned.

Petrol prices

For keeping inflation under control, he demanded a check on petrol price, which had been hiked at least five times in the past two years. The CPI (M) had been insisting that the Government reduce the taxes on petrol rather than increase the price.

U.S. pressure

Mr. Karat was critical of the UPA Government's stand on the nuclear and Iran issues, charging that its policies were charted under U.S. pressure.

Asking the Government to draft an independent foreign policy, he said the best way out of the rut was to adhere to the CMP.

Faults farm policy

He faulted the agriculture policy and wheat import, and also opposed allocation of farmland to multinationals through the special economic zone scheme. He said land transfer should be done only for industrialisation.

As for Bihar, he said there was no improvement in law and order.

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

National