New Delhi: The draft Common Minimum Programme (CMP) today (May 21, 2004) accorded high priority to agriculture, employment-oriented growth, stepping up of investment in rural sector while saying no to privatisation of crucial oil and power PSUs and "hire and fire" policy.

The draft circulated to all allies in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), ahead of likely swearing-in of the new Congress-led Government, reflected the statement made by Prime Minister-designate Manmohan Singh yesterday.

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Top Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM) and Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders said the draft CMP was "generally acceptable".