Before bosses talk to UPA, Left unions to hit roads

The Left continues to confuse. On Wednesday, senior party leaders of the four major Left constituents — CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc — said they were satisfied with the coordination mechanism. On Thursday, the Left trade union leaders announced their decision to observe a “national demands day” on August 20.

The demands harp on the same economic issues which the Congress-led UPA is willing to discuss with the Left leaders at the next meeting of the coordination committee at the end of this month. EPF and FDI figure prominently in the list prepared by the Left unions.

‘‘We have to explain to them how we are trying to put forth our views to this Government,’’ said Abani Roy, leader of the RSP and its trade union wing, the UTUC.

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What is ironical is that the National Demands day coincides with Sadbhavna Divas — Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary — which the Congress hopes to observe in a big way this year.

Abani Roy, however, explained that “demands day” would not mean a strike. ‘‘We shall mobilise our cadre. But it does not mean a strike. They would come out during the lunch break to protest.’’