Left cools down after Sonia meeting

But today, CPM’s senior Politburo member Sitaram Yechury was defending the government—even on inflation.

Yechury had been the party’s emissary to 10 Janpath yesterday and was with Sonia Gandhi for almost an hour. They discussed almost all issues raised by the Left over the last three months, including FDI caps increase, EPF rates and even the inclusion of experts from foreign agencies in the Planning Commission’s mid-term review panel.

Said Yechury later: ‘‘I am optimistic. Gandhi gave me a patient hearing.’’

The Politburo member’s visit was also to prepare the ground for Jyoti Basu’s scheduled dialogue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi on Saturday. Basu had wanted to meet the two leaders to ensure that the Left’s views were taken into consideration by the UPA policy-makers before crucial decisions were taken.

Yechuri also accompanied former Prime Minister V P Singh to Manmohan Singh’s residence this afternoon. Stepping out, he said: ‘‘The price rise has been influenced by a number of factors, including the drought situation, which has substantially improved now.’’

The CPM leader then blamed international oil rates for playing havoc with prices here. ‘‘The international prices had been never so high in the past 50 years,’’ said Yechuri.

When asked if the Left would be critical of the Government, especially when the price rise was higher than it ever was during the Vajpayee regime, Yechuri retorted: ‘‘The international oil prices were never as high during the last five years.’’

On charges that they were stalling reforms, Yechuri claimed that it was the Left parties which had put a roadblock on sale of profit-making PSUs and increase in FDI caps. Yechuri then tried to tone down Bhattacharya’s threat in Purulia, West Bengal, on Saturday that the Left might withdraw support. ‘‘Look at the context. The Chief Minister was threatening that drastic step only if the Government did not follow the CMP,’’ he said.

The Politburo member went on to explain that not too much should be read into that statement. ‘‘This is a coalition government. There are parties supporting from within and outside. Differences of opinion will be voiced. That is only democracy,’’ he said. It appears that the CPM has succeeded in conveying its displeasure by letting a leader of the stature of Basu do some tough talking. Now that the Left’s strong feelings have been aired in public by the party’s heavyweights, there is a natural cooling down before the meeting takes place later this week.