No let-up in Left pressure

As the UPA government braces for pushing the long-pending agenda of reforms, like FDI in retail, pension Bill and airport modernisation through privatisation route, the CPI(M) indicated further hardening of its stance on crucial policy issues.

On the first day of the party's three-day Central Committee meeting at Hyderabad today, senior party leader Nilotpal Basu said that the CC would pass a resolution on oil price hike as also a political resolution on two years of UPA government's performance.

The highest decision making body of the party will also take a final view on airport modernisation, even as Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today that the Centre would initiate dialogue with West Bengal and Tamil Nadu governments about the modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports.

The CPI(M) Politburo, which had met in Kolkata last month, had decided not to allow airport modernisation through privatisation route, notwithstanding West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's apparent discomfiture with the party line.

He had chosen to keep mum at the Politburo meeting during discussions on this issue. Going by the prevailing opinion in the Party, it will be difficult for the CM to voice his reservation even at the CC meeting, which looks set to endorse the Politburo's stance.

Apart from the review of the UPA regime's performance, the party will also discuss the contentious issues of FDI in retail, pension Bill and disinvestment of PSUs, over the next two days.

The party will also discuss the issue of future relations with other parties like the Samajwadi Party, the Asom Gana Parishad and the Telugu Desam Party, which have extended support to the June 13 'All India Protest Day' organised by the Left parties to protest against petrol price hike.

Left leaders had earlier clarified that they were ready to rope in other parties to protest against the UPA government's policies, but it should not be viewed as an attempt to form a 'third alternative'.

The CC meeting is taking place in the backdrop of an increasing strain in the UPA-Left relations.

"There is no point having a coordination committee meeting when it serves no purpose. The government does what it wants," said a senior Left leader.