At PM dinner, allies talk polls, inflation

It was no official meeting with an agenda. The dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for UPA MPs and leaders was an informal occasion.

It was no official meeting with an agenda. The dinner hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for UPA MPs and leaders was an informal occasion. But it provided an opportunity for the exchange of views on crucial issues among the ruling alliance.

So, the Left leaders talked about price-rise, which they said was a “concern shared by the government”.

And with the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections round the corner, the Sachar Committee report and increasing demand for reservation for Muslims too figured in the discussions.

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According sources, some members, including a few from the Left, were of the opinion that reservation should be given to backward communities irrespective of the religion.

Those from the Left, however, said further “discussions and elaborations are needed before going on to say that the UPA has decided in favour of reservation”.

At the outset, senior Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also drew attention to the way Parliament was not allowed to function by the Opposition in the context of Nandigram incidents.

The last Left-UPA coordination meeting was held in November last year.