Wednesday, June 29 2005 16:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: Talking tough, CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) today (Jun 29, 2005) ruled out any "give and take" on disinvestment in state-owned BHEL, an issue on which the Left parties have decided to suspend participation in the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) coordination committee.

"There is no question of give and take," CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here in Lucknow.

He said the Left was only emphasising on implementation of issues promised in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) and disinvestment was part of the NCMP.

However, Karat said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi have asked the Left parties to wait till the top leadership of Congress deliberated on the issue of disinvestment in Navratnas. "We will wait till then," he added.

Accusing the Government of "first serious violation" of the NCMP by deciding on 10 per cent disinvestment of its stake in profit-making BHEL, the Left parties on Sunday (Jun 19, 2005) announced suspension of their participation in the UPA coordination committee meetings.