Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jyoti Basu on Saturday discussed with the ruling United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi the formation of a coordination committee for the smooth functioning of the Congress-led coalition government.
Details of the coordination panel, including its role, is likely to be announced in the evening.
"First of all, the meeting was a courtesy call....we also discussed formation of the coordination committee. We expect it
would be announced by this evening," CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury, who accompanied Basu, told reporters after the 30-minute meeting at Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence.
Yechury said the left parties have given six names for the committee.
Asked why was the need felt to constitute such a committee, Yechury said: "We want this government to run smoothly and that too for five years. That is why we need a coordination committee."
Allaying apprehensions that the co-ordination committee would assume an all-powerful role like the steering committee
in the United Front government, he said: "It will be merely at the level of consultations...there is no reason for anyone to feel threatened."
