Keep Speaker out of UPA bargains: Little comrades tell CPM

Leaders of smaller Left constituents today asked CPM leaders at the Left’s coordination meeting why they were involving the ‘&#145...

Leaders of smaller Left constituents today asked CPM leaders at the Left’s coordination meeting why they were involving the ‘‘Speaker’’ in brokering deals between the UPA and the Left. At a not-so-friendly meeting at A.K. Gopalan Bhavan, the Left leaders met today to discuss various economic issues and the smaller partners like the CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc utilised the opportunity to voice their grievances with the CPI(M). Some of them were vocal about being kept uninformed of crucial developments on economic issues, especially the Patents (Amendments) Bill.

And the junior partners warned of not using the ‘‘impartial’’ office of the Speaker for partisan reasons. Last Thursday evening, Congress leaders and senior ministers, Pranab Mukherjee and Kamal Nath met senior CPI(M) MP, Rupchand Pal at Somnath Chatterjee’s residence. The Left partners did not attack Chatterjee and blamed CPI(M) for using his office to further its own ends.

Some of the younger partners complained that this way the Left was only ‘‘tarnishing the Speaker’s image and the Opposition could always use the issue to its own advantage.’’

Story continues below this ad

Of course, the warning on the Speaker issue came in the wake of Left partners feeling completely left out from the UPA-CPI(M) dialogue on patents. The entire dialogue process was carried out by two CPI(M) MPs, Rupchand Pal (Lok Sabha) and Nilotpal Basu (CPI(M) leader in the Rajya Sabha). Apart from them only Basudeb Achariya (CPI(M) leader in the Lok Sabha) and Mohammed Salim (CPI(M) deputy leader in the Lok Sabha) were in the loop.

The Left partners they said that they felt that those who were discussing the issue with UPA Ministers like P. Chidambaram and Kamal Nath on behalf of the CPI(M) were ‘‘arrogant’’. The use of the word ‘‘arrogant’’ was clear indication how ignored these partners had felt. Obviously, the targets of their criticism was both Nilotpal Basu and Rupchand Pal.

Trump Tariffs, trump tariff impositions, India-US ties, trade war, us trade war, donald trump, reciprocal tariffs, Trump India trade deal, India US tariff cuts, Trump India tariffs announcement, India US trade agreement, Modi Trump trade talks, India US economic relations, India lowers tariffs for US, US India trade negotiations, Trump Modi tariff deal, India US import export policy, Trump on India tariffs, US India business ties, trade war India US, India trade policy changes, India US tariff reduction, Indian express news, current affairs

Trump announces new tariffs on drugs, heavy trucks and kitchen cabinets from Oct 1

World15 min ago

United States President Donald Trump Friday announced a new round of punishing tariffs, saying the US will impose 100% duties on imported branded drugs, 25% tariffs on heavy-duty trucks, and 50% tariffs on kitchen cabinets starting October 1.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS