Kolkata: Communist Party Marxist (CPM) leader Sitaram Yechury tonight (May 20, 2004) said that the negotiations were on to finalise the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the Congress led-Government at the Centre.

"We will lay stress on employment generation, improvement of agriculture infrastructure, education, health, revival of public distribution system and ensuring of food security among other sectors," he told a Bengali TV channel in an interview in New Delhi.

Stating that the Government would not have the majority without the Left support, he said that Left parties would work as watchdog of the coalition Government.

He said that his party had welcome the statement of the Prime Minister designate Manmohan Singh today which gave directions on the priorities of the Government. Turning to the CMP, he said Congress would consult with the Left parties before finalising it. "We will work for the people's welfare," he said and hoped that the Centre-State relations would be improved under the new Government and the pace of development in West Bengal would also get an impetus.

To a question, whether it would be possible to implement land reform all over the country on the lines of the West Bengal, he said, "Congress is a bourgeoisie party, we will have to implement it through mass struggle."