Left to skip FDI issue at meet

With Maharashtra going to polls on Wednesday, the Left seems to have decided against raking up any controversies at its meeting with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

"It's better to be careful at this time," a Left leader said, when asked if they would take up the contentious issue of foreign direct investment (FDI) caps at tomorrow's meeting.

Emerging from a meeting of the four Left parties today, the leaders said Jammu Kashmir, the Northeast and the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) would be on the agenda at tomorrow's co-ordination meeting.

The Left will assess the implementation of the CMP by the UPA regime. The government has been proactive on the Left's demand for an employment guarantee scheme and plans to introduce a Bill on this in the Winter Session of Parliament.

Left leaders said at the meeting they would find out from the government the status of the draft bill submitted by the National Advisory Council (NAC).

When asked about FDI in the telecom sector, the Left categorically said it was awaiting the reply of Finance Minister P Chidambaram to their note on telecom.

The parties said they would be unwilling to discuss any 'formula' to allay fears of security concerns and foreign monopoly until the government put them down in black and white.

On the issue of detoxification of the information and broadcasting ministry, Bardhan said it was not a new issue and it had been brought up with the government several times.

Referring to Chidambaram's promises abroad to get the proposals for hiking the foreign investment cap in telecom and other sectors, Bardhan said, "Does anybody's tongue wag at our command? We cannot dictate what other people say."