The Hindu Business Line : Left expresses `growing distrust' over delay in CMP

THE four Left parties that provide the crucial support to the ruling UPA Government on Friday said that it would continue to support the Government so long as it sticks to the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP).

However, they also expressed "growing distrust and impatience" over the non-implementation of the NCMP by the Congress-led Government and its "totally confrontationist" attitude on the Iran issue.

In a joint press conference held by the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Block and the RSP, the Left leaders said that though all options were available to them, they still were trying to correct the UPA's decisions and were reviewing and reconsidering its performance in these 20 months.

Referring to the Prime Minister's repeated commitment to economic reforms with a "human face," the Left leaders said that, "the Congress-led Government's human face is a very ugly face."

While the CPI(M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury, said the Left was trying to impress upon the Government not to cross the "Lakshman Rekha," the CPI leader, Mr Gurudas Dasgupta, said that "all options are before us. We are not bonded labourers."

The RSP leader, Mr Manoj Bhattacharya, said that, "we are reconsidering and reviewing the whole situation."

However, the Left leaders could not give a convincing reply as to why they were continuing their support to the UPA Government which they found wanting also on other matters such as privatisation of profit-making PSUs and, the latest, the Mumbai and Delhi airports; import of five lakh tonnes of wheat; rise in prices of essential commodities apart from issues such as vote on Iran and FDI in retail.