Spokes still missing in coordination wheel

CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said in the evening that these four members could also be four ministers from the government and would vary according to the nature of the problem that needed to be addressed. For example, if the problem was FDI in the telecom sector, the finance and the communication minister and two other ministers concerned would be involved.

What the Left had initially envisaged was a permanent body with political heavyweights from not just the Congress but other major allies on board. It was expected that the likes of Laloo Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar and someone nominated by M. Karunanidhi to represent DMK would also be a part of the coordination process. Now, it is apparent that instead of lending it extra political weight, the attempt is to create a problem-solving mechanism.

In any case, the final shape of the committee would be known only tomorrow after the Left leaders, especially Jyoti Basu, meets the Prime Minister. Singh is expected to return from his tour late tonight.

When asked, Left leaders today denied having ever conceived of a coordination committee with all UPA partners included. Yechury said it was meant to be a UPA government-Left coordination committee.

Cong to announce names after Manmohan returns

The Congress and the Left today decided on the constitution of the much-awaited coordination committee, but the announcement of names of all its members was held up due to differences over its composition.

Sources in the Congress initially stated that the 12-member committee will have six members each from the Congress and the Left. Later on, they maintained that the PM and the Congress chief would be on the committee, but were not sure if the remaining four members would be drawn from the Congress or other UPA partners.

The first meeting of the committee is likely to be held next week.

The Left parties have already named their members — Harkishen Singh Surjeet and Yechury (CPM), A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja (CPI), Abani Roy (RSP) and Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc).

The decision to constitute the panel came at a meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu. Sonia was assisted by her political advisor Ahmed Patel, while Basu was accompanied by Sitaram Yechury.

The sources said the Left was keen on the inclusion of key UPA constituents like the RJD, DMK and NCP into the committee, while the Congress found it expedient to keep the task of coordination between the Left and itself. They said the Congress apprehended that the Left could gradually convert the committee into an all-powerful decision-making body, as far as policy matters were concerned.

Given the Left’s populist concerns, it could use the committee to veto government decisions, particularly on economic matters, by even enlisting the support of two important UPA partners — the DMK and the RJD. Both parties share a good equation with the Left.