The Hindu Business Line : Left parties satisfied as foreign experts offer to quit

WITH reports of the nine `outside experts' representing the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the McKinsey consultancy group offering to resign from the various consultancy groups in the Planning Commission, yet another ticklish issue involving the Left parties, which was building up into a political controversy, appears to have been set at rest.

Hailing the offers to resign as "the right decision", the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Mr Sitaram Yechury, said: "The issue has unnecessarily been blown out of proportion. It did not deserve to become such a big issue after we met the Prime Minister."

Speaking to newspersons, Mr Yechury held that it was the statement by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, which "led to this situation."

Dr Ahluwalia, who is accompanying the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on his visit to the UK and the US, had defended his stand noting that the outside experts had been co-opted for a "holistic view" on various economic issues.

Following this, at least five Left economists on various panels of the Commission had threatened to resign if the foreign experts were not moved out.

In fact, two economists stayed away from a consultancy meeting of the Commission today.

Later during the day, after a luncheon meeting with the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, and Congress MP, Mr Jairam Ramesh, Mr Yechury said that the CPI(M) was satisfied with the Prime Minister's assurances to consider their demand after his return from the US.

"We are satisfied with the Prime Minister's assurance. There is no reason for dissatisfaction," he said while reiterating that "outside experts should not be in any official body."

The issue would be taken up at the next meeting of the UPA and the Left parties later this month after Dr Singh's return, he added.

On the other issues that were discussed at the meeting with Mr Chidambaram, Mr Yechury said that the Finance Minister detailed the economic situation in the country and the Government's concern over the price rise issue.

On the other controversial issue of FDI in sectors such as telecom, insurance and aviation, Mr Yechury said that the Left parties had already sent a note to the Government stating their position and were "awaiting the Government's response. The Government has assured us that they will send us their response shortly. Only after that will we take a position."