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The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the UPA Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, at the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting in the Capital on Wednesday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , May 18

THE United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on Wednesday held a marathon meeting with representatives of the four Left parties to take stock of the Government's performance during its first year in office.

The meeting, which lasted for more than eight hours, discussed how the benefits of various policy decisions aimed at the poorer sections of the population would actually reach them. However, the burning economic issues related to foreign direct investments, banking, insurance, pension and retail did not figure prominently in the discussion.

"The economic issues would be taken up later after the Left parties discuss the performance reports presented by the Ministries. These would be taken up at the next coordination committee meeting," sources present in the meeting told Business Line.

Chaired by the UPA Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, the meeting, which was held at the residence of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, discussed six broad themes. The Ministers who made presentations to the Left leaders include the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, the External Affairs Minister, Mr K. Natwar Singh, the Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, the HRD Minister, Mr Arjun Singh and the Labour Minister, Mr K. Chandrasekhara Rao.

The Left leaders who attended the meeting include the CPI (M) General Secretary, Mr Prakash Karat, the CPI General Secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, the RSP General Secretary, Mr Abani Roy, and the Forward Bloc General Secretary, Mr Debabrata Biswas.

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