(Cuts short the question and says politely) Again my leadership? Talk about the Politburo and my Central Committee. We have no individual leadership.

Why is the Left so reluctant to acknowledge its influence on this government? The economic reforms are slow. SEZs (Special Economic Zones) are opposed.

More than 400 SEZs have been approved. Half of them are being notified and will be set up. We have not been able to stop the SEZs. We recognise our limitations. The way they have conducted the economic policy reforms, it is actually neo-liberal reforms. Reform is a good word. But, who will be getting reformed? Yes, reforms are required, but not the type that the Congress and BJP have initiated.

We are not at all happy with the manner in which the SEZ concept has been executed. We have not been able to stop it. We have not been able to stop the liberalisation of the financial sector. To a certain extent we have been able to act as a check-mate in getting some amendments to existing acts and the passing of some new acts in Parliament.

There we could say, 'Don't do this' because they needed our support to let that act get passed. All that they could do with the help of the executive or Cabinet decisions, they have done it except one -- the disinvestment of BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited). That is because we said that we have not provided for (in the Common Minimum Programme) disinvestment of Navratna companies (State-owned companies with the status of Navratnas (literally, crown jewels) based on their profitability among other parameters).

It is in black and white that they (UPA) will not disinvest Navratnas but will have IPOs and dilution of shares to strengthen the Navratnas. Yet, they (the government) might tell you that the pace (of economic reforms) which the corporate sector wants and what other international finance capitals want from India, may be, that pace has not been maintained. We can't help them.

We will go by our priorities. We can't go by the priorities of international capitalists and by those who are building speculative flows in India. You will not find us objecting to FDIs in most sectors. In IT, manufacturing and technology -- we have not said no to FDI.

When the media interviews P Chidambaram, Kamal Nath or Montek Singh Ahluwalia they mention constrains due to the inherent limitation of a coalition...

The names you have mentioned represent the trinity. They represent those neo-liberal ideas. I am sure there are people, even in the Congress and in other parties who share our views and many of the policies we advocate.

Prakashji, tell me, you are very young and...

No, I am not young. In India if you are sixty you are still, considered young. (Laughs heartily)

Part II of the interview: 'We may be number one in the world in producing billionaires, but how does that type of growth help the country or the people?'

Also see: 4 mistakes and the SEZ fuss

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