New Delhi, January 12
While calling for scrapping the bid process for airport modernisation, the Left parties today agreed to hold talks with the government on disinvestment on a case-to-case basis, while the UPA coalition agreed to discuss the alternative resource mobilision suggestion of the Communists.

The UPA-Left Coordination Meeting, however, did not discuss the vexed EPF issue, but decided to put the Cabinet decision on the food subsidy cut issue in “abeyance” till discussions with political parties.

The note on the modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports, submitted by the Left parties in the meet today, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said would be taken into account by the Empowered Group of Ministers while considering the issue.

Mr Chidambaram said, “There is an urgency to complete the modernisation of these two airports. Having regard to the urgency, it was decided that the government may take a suitable decision”.

Demanding the scrapping of the two private bids to modernise the two airports, the Left parties warned the government of possible litigations to stall the ongoing bidding process by interested quarters.

The Left parties have been saying there was “solid ground” for the government to dismantle the process, alleging that financial consultant ABN-Amro was the “joint lead arranger” for shortlisted bidders GMR and Reliance, while a partner in the legal consultant firm Amarchand Mangaldass, Shroff & Company was once a member of the Reliance Board.

They asked the government to take note of the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations to construct two world-class airports as greenfield projects and develop the existing ones through the AAI.

On resource mobilisation, Mr Chidambaram explained the steps already taken in this regard to augment resources.

On the EPF issue, the Left parties did not press the matter as the trade unions were slated to meet the Finance Minister, adding that the government was quite aware of the Left position of restoration of 9.5 per cent interest rate to four crore subscribers.

Asked whether the FDI in the telecom issue was raised by the Left parties in the backdrop of the controversy over phone-tapping, the Left leaders replied in the negative with CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury saying the Left’s concerns in the matter were well known.