On reforms, Cong gentle & firm

The Left parties which are supporting the government from the outside and fought hard to get some of their amendments incorporated have decided to “by and large” endorse the CMP, CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury told journalists after emerging from the meeting. While the CPI(M) will not be signatory to the CMP, it is ready to be part of “some consultative mechanism” to monitor its implementation, party leaders said.

While leaders of Congress and Left refused to divulge details of the changes made in the draft CMP, the Left is believed to have extracted concessions in the area of foreign policy, “de-saffronisation” of educational and cultural institutions, a central legislation for agricultural workers, pro-women measures including legislation against domestic violence, and reaffirmation that profit-making PSUs would not be privatised.

However, the Congress refused to further water down some of the pro-economic reforms positions contained in the draft CMP despite demands from the CPI(M) and other Left parties, sources said.

The CPI(M), at its politburo meeting in Kolkata on Monday, had decided to ask for some key changes in these formulations. For instance, on the issue of labour, the draft CMP had said: ‘‘The UPA rejects the idea of automatic hire and fire. It recognises that some flexibility has to be provided to industry in the matter of labour policy but such flexibility must ensure that workers and their families are fully protected.’’

The CPI(M) had suggested that the ‘‘flexibility for employers should be deleted.’’ This was not accepted today, Congress sources said.

Similarly, the CPI(M)’s demand that provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 be revised; that privatisation of airports and power be stalled, and that the section on “Encouraging FIIs” be deleted were not conceded either, sources said.

The main challenge before the “draftsmen” tonight was to choose a vocabulary that would sound palatable to the Left without giving ground on substantive issues, Congress sources added.

The Left, particularly the CPI(M), on their part, have also decided not to “hair-split” over every word and line of the CMP.

Even before this evening’s meeting began, senior party leaders said they had decided to endorse the UPA’s CMP and “if we have any reservations, we will express it” but not stand in the way of its finalisation.

The Left-Congress tussle over economic issues apart, two other important aspects of today’s discussions related to the contentious Telengana issue and the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Despite the CPI(M)’s stated refusal to accept any proposal “for the fomration of new states by breaking up the existing states formed on the linguistic principle”, the final CMP will make a special reference to Telengana. Telengana Rashtra Samiti chief, K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s “sacrifice” yesterday ensured at least this much, sources said.

On the Women’s Reservation Bill, UPA partners and the Left had their way, despite strong protests from RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav.

According to sources, Yadav made it clear that he retained the right to protest the contents of the Bill on the floor of the Lok Sabha when it came up, regardless of the CMP.