Left toughens stand on FDI limit in telecom

PM invites communists' delegation to lunch

A fractious Left marred preparations for what is being billed as a triumphant prime ministerial visit to the US and the UK. On the eve of Manmohan Singh's visit, Left parties upped the ante and warned the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government again that they should not be taken for granted.

To discuss the implementation of the common minimum programme (CMP) and mollify feelings all round, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited a Left delegation headed by veteran CPI(M) leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu to lunch on September 18. However, the Left has made it clear that it is not happy.

"We will meet the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on September 18," said CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, while repeating the Left parties' opposition to the raising of foreign direct investment (FDI) caps in the telecom and insurance sectors and adding that a meeting of the UPA-Left parties coordination committee after the Prime Minister's return would see a discussion on the issue.

The CPI(M) is holding its politburo meeting tomorrow. Yechury said this delegation of leaders will meet the Prime Minister and Gandhi a day later to convey the politburo's concerns.

Yechury yesterday had lunch with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia where he discussed various contentious issues including foreign direct investment. Somewhat ominously, when asked where the issue could lead to, he said: "If the government wants to go ahead, they have to address our concerns on foreign direct investment".

Commenting on a series of meetings he had with Gandhi, Singh and Ahluwalia in the last one week, he said "we are expressing our concern. There is nothing secret about this. We have already made it public".

On the response from Gandhi and the government on their concerns on foreign direct investment, Yechury said: "They have noted our point of view. They said: 'Yes there are substantial points which we have to consider and they will consider them and come back to us'," he said.

He said that "I think when the Prime Minister returns from his foreign visit, we will be having a formal meeting of the UPA and the Left coordination committee where this will be decided".

On whether dithering over the foreign direct investment issue could reflect in the Prime Minister's US visit to woo foreign investors, Yechury said: "No. It is not the sector but the investors will come wherever they can make profits". Asked if the government had given any assurance that no decision would be taken before the issue was settled, he said: "there is no such assurance. We hope they will keep our position in mind".

He said the government had kept its options open on FDI the day they made the announcement while adding: "we also have our options open".

On reports about the government going in for gradual increase in foreign direct investment, he said "this is not an issue for bargaining. We have raised our objections on certain key issues and the government will have to reply to these if they want to go ahead".

Yechury's comments follow an elaborate presentation made by Communication minister and Ahluwalia before the Prime Minister on the telecom sector last night amid speculations that foreign direct investment in telecom could be taken up by the cabinet at its meeting on 17 September.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee will meet the Prime Minister tomorrow and discuss in the parallel, issues relating specifically to West Bengal including development of infotech, tourism, revival of four central PSUs in the state.