The Hindu Business Line : Left parties to offer suggestions for CMP

THE CPI (M) General Secretary, Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet said, his party with other Left constituents would place certain suggestions on the draft of the common minimum programme (CMP) of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government on Wednesday.

After the party's two rounds of Politburo meetings, the CPI (M) also accepted the Congress proposal for giving the Lok Sabha Speaker's post to Mr Somnath Chatterjee. Mr Basudeb Acharya will be the leader of the CPI (M) in the 14th Lok Sabha. "There is no need to put forward an alternative draft. Congress is ready to discuss the whole document," he commented. He said that the Politburo discussed the CMP draft threadbare and the final suggestions would incorporate the views of all the Left parties.

Briefing newspersons, Mr Surjeet hoped that the suggestions would be accommodated in the final document with necessary "corrections".

However, he clarified that the Left support was not dependent upon the acceptance of the suggestions by the Congress. "There is no question of withdrawal of support on this issue."