A stalemate continued over the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd disinvestment issue with Left parties ruling out any dilution of their opposition to it, after their meeting with United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
The Left, however, kept the doors open for further talks asking Sonia to intervene by taking up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Left leaders, who held their second round of discussion with Sonia in 10 days, said after the meeting, "We have
requested her to intervene in the matter as chairperson of the UPA to see that the government adheres to provisions of the Common Minimum Programme regarding Navratna (public sector) companies."
Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after the talks that the Left is hopeful the issue will be amicably resolved.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Sonia.
Sources said, like in the first meeting, Sonia said there were problems before the government in reversing the decision to divest 10% equity from BHEL because of serious scarcity of resources.
