Kolkata: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) today (May 25, 2004) expressed its displeasure over inclusion of defeated Congress leaders in the Manmohan Government.

The CPM general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet told newsmen in Kolkata that those who had lost elections should not have been taken in the Government in an obvious reference to the inclusion of Shivraj Patil and P M Sayeed in the Cabinet.

"The presence of defeated persons should not have been there," Surjeet said without naming anybody.

On the issue of the post of United Progressive Alliance convenor, when Surjeet was asked whether he would accept it if offered, he retorted, "Why should we. We are not part of UPA."