Tuesday, September 12 2006 14:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: A two-day meeting of the CPI(M) Politburo began here today (Sept 12, 2006) to discuss the party's stand on a host of issues, including the Assembly elections in some states next year, as also the economic and foreign policies of the UPA Government.

"The Assembly elections in several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, are on the agenda," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told PTI on way to the meeting venue.

"There will also be a mid-term review of how we have implemented the issues that we took up," he said.

The party's top policy-making body would also put under scanner the UPA government's economic and foreign policies, which have led to frequent disagreements between the Congress-led ruling dispensation and the Left parties lending crucial outside support to the regime.

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and three Chief Ministers - Buddhadeb Bhattaharjee of West Bengal, V S Achuthanandan of Kerala and Manik Sarkar of Tripura are attending the meeting.

Party patriarch Jyoti Basu, who had yesterday yet again offered to step down from the Politburo citing ill-health and old age, is also present.

The nonagenarian leader had said he would raise the issue of his ill-health during the parleys.

Other top leaders present at the meeting include party's West Bengal unit secretary Biman Bose and the only woman politburo member Brinda Karat.