Kolkata: The crucial meeting of the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM) politburo began here this morning (May 25, 2004) to decide the party's stand on the Congress proposal offering the Lok Sabha Speaker's post to its senior leader Somnath Chatterjee and the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the Congress-led Government at the Centre.

Another issue which is likely to figure at the meet is the inclusion of leaders having criminal background into the Manmohan Singh Ministry.

Elections 2004
Political Parties in India

When newsmen asked CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet about it, he replied, "Baat cheet karte hain (let us talk)."

Besides Surjeet, other politburo members like Jyoti Basu, Sitaram Yechuri, Prakash Karat, Anil Biswas, Biman Bose, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and M K Pandhey were present at the meet.