Left hints at climbdown

The Left parties, sensing a partial victory following the resignation offers by 'foreign experts' from the consultative groups set up by the Planning Commission, toned down the strident stand they had recently taken against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

At a lunch meeting with Left leaders, Finance Minister P Chidambaram seemed to have further mollified them. "We are satisfied with the Prime Minister's assurance. There is no reason for dissatisfaction," CPM Politburo Member Sitaram Yechuri said after the meeting.

The presence of foreign experts in the Planning Commission apparently overshadowed their discontent over the government's proposal to hike the foreign direct investment (FDI) cap in telecom.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was present at the lunch meeting, said the issue would be "sorted out to the satisfaction of all parties concerned and the Left parties." Apparently, the matter was discussed at length at the meeting.

Ramesh also said there was no "urgency" regarding the removal of the FDI cap in telecom and that the issue would be sorted out in due time.

Yechury said the Left parties were "awaiting the government's response" to their "notes" on FDI in the telecom and insurance sectors. "The government has assured us that they will send us their response shortly. Only after that will we take a position," he said.

Yechuri said "it was a right decision" on the part of the nine foreign experts to offer to quit the consultative groups of the Planning Commission. CPI leader AB Bardhan also welcomed the resignation offer, saying their appointment earlier was unwarranted.

"It doesn't matter if they have resigned. They had no business being there in the first place," he said.