People's Democracy

         LEFT BROADLY ENDORSES CMP

The CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc have issued the following statement on May 27, 2004. Harkishan Singh Surjeet CPI(M), A B Bardhan (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Abani Roy (RSP) have signed the statement.

THE Left parties welcome the Common Minimum Programme prepared by the United Progressive Alliance for the UPA government. The Left parties were consulted and their views considered in the formulation of the document. The Left parties broadly endorse the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA. The implementation of the CMP will be in consonance with the verdict given by the people.

The Left parties, while broadly endorsing the CMP, have their differing positions on a range of economic policies. They concern issues of privatisation in various sectors, targeted public distributed system and certain fiscal policies. The Left parties will advocate alternative policies in these matters while continuing to support the government.

The Left parties are also not in favour of addressing the question of news states through the CMP.