Wednesday, May 18 2005 20:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In the backdrop of Left parties' critical appraisal of UPA Government's performance and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resolve to pursue reforms, the two sides today (May 18, 2005) held a marathon meeting during which the four supporting parties raised their concerns on certain issues.

Chaired by UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the over eight-hour meeting, held at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, discussed six broad themes in which various Ministers gave presentation on the performance as also policies and programmes initiated by their Ministries.

Several key Ministers including Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and HRD Minister Arjun Singh and Labour Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao, made presentations.

CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat, who along with his CPI (Communist Party of India) counterpart A B Bardhan, RSP (Republican Socialist Party) leader Abani Roy and Forward Bloc's Debabrata Biswas, attended the meeting, said in a statement later that "certain concerns of the Left parties were raised in the course of the meeting."

Noting that the meeting was "useful" as it gave an overall view of the performance of the UPA Government for the past one year, he said the CPM politburo has already given its assessment of the Government's performance at its meeting on May 14 and 15.

The CPM politburo had said the Government was eager to work for foreign finance capital and big businesses while unwilling to address issues concerning toiling masses.

The Government, on its part, listed the achievements in the past one-year.

The Left parties also sought to dissociate from a statement on the meeting issued by senior Congress leader and UPA spokesperson Ambika Soni at the Prime Minister's house.

'It is not our statement'

"It is not our statement. It is their (Government) statement," Karat said.

Given its hard criticism of the Government's performance, the Left parties have decided not to attend the first anniversary celebrations of UPA on May 22.

"There was a structured dialogue and discussions were held in cordial atmosphere. There was no discordant note at the meeting," Soni told reporters.

Asked whether Left parties had raised the economic policies which have been bone of contention between the Government and supporting parties, she said six themes were discussed - agriculture, rural development and panchayat raj, education, health and nutrition, empowerment of weaker sections, internal security, infrastructure and economic growth and Defence and foreign policy.

A strong plea was made by the Left, Congress and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) on handing over six major Gujarat communal violence cases to CBI, she said.

Soni said nobody raised the issue relating to the demand of resignation of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad against whom charges have been framed in two separate fodder scam cases in less than a fortnight.

The Left parties today heard the Government's view of its working and would come out with their views after May 22 when the UPA comes out with the report card of its overall performance, RSP leader Abani Roy said sidestepping a question if the Left was satisfied with the Government's presentation after today's meeting. The Prime Minister gave an overall view of the performance of the Government as also the ambitious Rs 174,000 crore "Bharat Nirman" programme for rural areas.

DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) chief M Karunanidhi, who attended the meeting, wanted that work of Cauvery Waters Disputes Tribunal and implementation of the Rs 1,000- crore desalination plant in Chennai be expedited.

He also suggested the Constitution be amended to give right to the states to decide on reservation quotas and amend the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, Soni said.

While Arjun Singh gave an overview of the steps taken by his Ministry in detoxification of education, empowerment of women and child development, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar briefed on the agricultural credit policy.

The Home Minister detailed the steps taken to ensure internal security, particularly in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir and repeal of POTA.

Soni said when the issue of aid to Tsunami-hit States was brought up, it was pointed out that a large dose of Government aid package was given to Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar and Tamil Nadu which alone got Rs 5,000 crore.

Soni said that among other subjects the Prime Minister spoke on were humane administration and Armed Forces Act in Manipur, peace process in Jammu and Kashmir.