New Delhi, June 27
In a bid to placate the Left parties over its opposition to the government’s economic policies, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today spoke to CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat.

Sources in Left parties said “the Prime Minister told Karat that issues could be discussed when Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson who is in Shimla, and Pranab Mukherjee (Defence Minister), who is in US, return to the Capital.”

The damage control exercise came in the wake of Left parties’ decision to stay away from UPA-Left Coordination Committee meetings.

Dr Manmohan Singh also talked to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddadeb Bhattacharya in a bid to end the deadlock.

Left leaders, sources said, were firm that the government should stick to the NCMP and not violate it. They were of the view that the disinvestment of the BHEL was a serious violation of the letter and spirit of the CMP, as this was the first step to privatisation of even the profit making PSUs.

Sources said Left leaders indicated that they could consider offering only “issue based support” to the Manmohan Singh government if the UPA government continue to go ahead with the economic reform agenda, especially privatisation of PSUs, including the navratnas.

The four Left parties with 61 members are vital for the survival of the UPA coalition.

Congress leaders, in a move to diffuse the crisis, established different channels to pursue the Left leaders to review their stand.

Ahmed Patel, political secretary to the Congress President, held consultations with Left party leaders.

Congress party spokesperson said the Left leaders were informed that their concerns would be addressed soon after the return of Mrs Gandhi from her sojourn in Shimla in the next few days.

The stand of the Left gained support from the DMK with the party president, Mr M. Karunanidhi, writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, requesting the Congress-led coalition to strictly adhere to the NCMP.”

In his letter, Karunanidhi said “the UPA Government need not have any misunderstanding with the Left parties differing (from them) on the decision of the NCMP….As we have all accepted earlier, I request you to strictly adhere to the National CMP.”

However, Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan denied charges that the government had violated the CMP. “Absolutely no breach has been committed by the government on the CMP”, she said at the daily press briefing.

Justifying the stand to stay away, Left leaders said they had to clarify the distinction between the Left and Congress-led UPA government at the Centre especially with the assembly elections in West Bengal and Kerala.

The Left parties show of strength would take place tomorrow as they have called for a countrywide protest in response to the government’s move to hike the prices of oil despite their opposition and submitting alternative suggestion tide over the deficit.

Meanwhile, normal life is likely to be affected tomorrow with some transport unions joining the All-India Protest Day called by the Left parties against the fuel price hike.

In Delhi, activists of the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party will take out a procession from Bahadurshah Zafar Marg through ITO to the Prime Minister’s residence.

‘’The truckers will be doing a chakka jam on all major roads in Punjab while the autorikshaw drivers of all metros plan to join in the strike in an attempt to force the government to roll back the hike in fuel prices,’’ senior CPI leader Amarjeet Kaur said today.

However, the government today appealed to transporters and truckers not to join tomorrow’s Left-sponsored protests in the wake of recent upward revision of petrol and diesel prices, and assured them to look into their grievances.

Holding out the assurance to a delegation of the All India Motor Transport Congress, Road Transport and Highways Minister T.R. Baalu advised the AIMTC to prepare a detailed note, backed by relevant data and economic analysis, to facilitate a proper appreciation of the issues.