The coordination meeting government and the Left parties ended on a bright note with the left parties, who had been spitting fire on the government's decision on backing EU3 resolution on Iran and refer the matter to the International Atomic Energy Agency, have agreed to have a full discussion in the parliament during the forthcoming budget session of the parliament.
The meeting was attended by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, and P Chidambaram on behalf of the government while the Left parties were represented by CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan and Abani Roy.
Prakash Karat addressing a news conference along with other left party leaders explained why they had agreed to meet again the government on the issue of voting on Iran. "We expressed our deep concern on the manner in which the government is being run. We have sent 19 letters with suggestions for better coordination and explaining our point of view on number of issues but the government response has not been encouraging," he said.
The left leaders sought clarification from the government why it had failed to adopt an independent foreign line. "We told the government that the image of the government is falling. We also told them that we are free to go with other parties who think on our lines on issues like Iran," Karat said.
He denied that he had talked of formation of a third front. He replied in negative if Mulayam Singh Yadav, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had sought his support on the no confidence motion that he proposes to bring during the budget session of parliament. " No Mulayam Singh ji did not talk about it at all," he said.
Yes, India is a friend of Iran, so what?
Though the government claimed that there was no specific agenda but it admitted that the Iran issue dominated the disucssion. "The left parties said that they would like to have a discussion in the parliament on this matter and the government agreed to have the discussion. Iran is a difficult issue and the left parties are aware of that. We have explained to them why the government voted in favour of the resolution and we would do the same in the parliament. Left parties have agreed to have another meeting either before the budget or after," Chidambaram said.
"The government has offered to meet again either before the budget or after and the left parties have agreed to meet for the purposes of better coordiation," P Chidambaram, Union finance minister told newsmen at 7 Race Course Road after the one and a half hour long meeting.
