Saturday, May 21 2005 19:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Left party leaders today (May 21, 2005) said they would not attend tomorrow's (May 22, 2005) function to mark the completion of one year of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) in office, even as the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) extended a formal invitation to them.

When contacted, CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI (Communist Party of India) National Secretary D Raja and RSP's (Rashtriya Samajwadi Party) Abani Roy said they had already taken a decision not to attend the function.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan and Forward Bloc leaders are out of station and are not expected to return tomorrow.

"After all, we are not part of the UPA and are extending support to the Government from outside," Raja said.

Left sources said while the UPA wanted to highlight their achievements, the four Left parties have already made public their views that major people-oriented initiatives laid down in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) were yet to be taken by the Government.

These measures included laws on rural employment guarantee, women's reservation and several economic issues including the proposed hike in petroleum prices.