Left ready to join UPA CMP panel

The Left parties already have a coordination forum of its own, while the UPA coordination committee is yet to be formalised. The sensex may not have reacted positively to the UPA’s common minimum programme, but the members of the coalition, especially the Left, have given it full marks. So much so that Karat said: ‘‘This CMP is a better copy than the United Front CMP, of which we were an integral part. And, we are confident that the CMP will be respected.’’

Karat was sharing the dias with Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel with whom the Left had recently crossed swords over the airports privatisation issue. While Karat put out a friendly warning that the ‘‘Left will criticise the government’’ but not ‘‘destablise’’ it, Patel said: ‘‘I’m sure that the Left will change its ideological position responding to the needs of the time.’’