FM to meet Cong MPs on Dec 13

RUN UP TO THE BUDGET

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram will hold an interaction with Congress MPs and leaders on the forthcoming budget on December 13. The event is set to witness a lot of fireworks as it provides yet another opportunity to a section of ruling party critical of the UPA regime's economic policies.

At the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting last week, party President Sonia Gandhi had suggested that the CPP should organise an interaction with the FM on the forthcoming budget during the current session of Parliament.

This pre-budget discussion comes a few weeks after the Congress chief ministers' conclave in Nainital in which Chidambaram had to face an aggressive band of Congressmen led by senior leader Digvijay Singh taking a Leftist view on the government's economic policies.

Although the recent reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel is set to peg down the rate of inflation, it may not pacify the ruling party, which often seeks to play the role of Opposition, fearing a dent in its 'aam admi' plank. It was evident again last week when Congress Treasurer and MP Motilal Vora tried to corner the government in the Rajya Sabha over farm credit.

Congress leaders who had earlier sought a meeting with the Planning Commission on the Eleventh Plan Approach Paper are set to air their views on it during the pre-budget discussion. The government is learnt to have shot down the idea of a 'political meeting' on the next Five-Year Plan.

In a note sent to Sonia on the Approach Paper, senior Congress leaders had argued against the FRBM Act and also questioned some aspects of the Approach Paper, which, they believed, would result in paucity of funds for flagship programmes in the run up to the next general election.

An AICC general secretary and MP justified the ruling party's approach to government's policies, citing electoral compulsions.

"Aam admi does not understand growth rate or fiscal discipline. All he understands is how much he has to pay for 'atta' and 'dal' and whether he has a job or not. A Budget has to reflect these concerns. That way we are conscience keepers of the government," he said.