Left for better co-ordination

Left parties renewed their demand for a committee for a smoother relation with the government and will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh upon his return to set up a mechanism for better co-ordination, the CPI(M) said yesterday.

"May be on Monday we will meet the Prime Minister when he comes back (from BIMSTEC summit in Thailand) and this is the suggestion (by the politburo)," CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu said after the two-day meeting of the politburo.

Basu said despite difference with the Congress-led government, the CPI(M) would not let it down.

The relation with the Centre is good till now. But we have not come to an understanding on how to function together," he said.

"The mechanism (for co-ordination between the UPA and Left parties) has not been worked out. We will place the issue before the central committee," Basu said.

The Politburo issued a statement about Indian hostages in Iraq and asked the government to ensure they did not come to any hard.

Basu said informal meetings were being held with the UPA government on various issues and this system needed to be institutionalised, adding there was a need for a proper interaction on weekly or monthly basis.

On the contentious issue of raising caps on the FDI in the civil aviation, insurance and telecom sectors, he said it was discussed and the party had reservations on it.