PM calls Karat, says let's talk

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Monday had a telephonic conversation with Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat and assured him that the issues raised by the party would be discussed at the highest level.

The CPM, upset with the government's disinvestment programme, has suspended its participation in the United Progressive Alliance's coordination committee.

The prime minister is understood to have told Karat that the issues would be discussed after UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi returns to Delhi from Shimla after her five-day sojourn.

Singh was sent a copy of the letter Left parties have written to Gandhi protesting disinvestment in BHEL.

The letter by the Left, which provides crucial outside support of 61 Lok Sabha members to the UPA government, referred to repeated assertions by the government that it will retain 51 per cent share in public sector enterprises which,  it said, meant that it intended to sell off 49 per cent.

The Left has also decided to go ahead with the June 28 nationwide agitation against the recent hike in prices of petrol and diesel.