CPM seeks state finance ministers’ meet on reforms

The pragmatists in the CPM, who suffered a setback on Saturday when the party-led coordination committee of the Kerala front forced the government to put a Rs 400-crore loan from the ADB on hold, have decided to convene a meeting of finance ministers and experts to debate fiscal issues. This section, which is insisting that the party and the government cannot afford to stick to ���established beliefs���, is of the view that rigid ideological positions taken by party leaders was hurting investment prospects in Left-controlled states.

This is the first time that a strong group within the CPM has acknowledged the need for a relook at its economic policy. The move is also aimed at driving home their point that leaders like Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan, with their ���outdated views��� are putting hurdles in the way of forward-looking policies. On his part, Mr Achuthanandan has been using controversial economic issues to target his rivals in the government.

Those in charge of the central party are, however, not yet ready to embark on a new course. Although it has come to the aid of the West Bengal government over Singur and Nandigram, it was dictated by its anxiety to shield it from the Opposition rather than an admission that its economic outlook needed a fresh appraisal.

The pragamatists��� confidence about forcing a debate stems from recent assertions of party chief Prakash Karat. The CPM general secretary, had in a signed article last week, said that state governments run by the party cannot implement policy programmes of their choosing.

This debate in the CPM offers a window of opportunity for the Centre, which is trying hard to get the Left on board on reform-oriented measures. But it will not be a easy task as its leaders cannot go against the diktats of the central unit. The U-turn the West Bengal chief minister took on the privatisation of airports is a case in point. Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who backed privatisation in a letter to the civil aviation minister Praful Patel, later made the claim that he did not support the move.