New Delhi, May 16: Consensus on joining a Congress-led government today eluded the Central Committee of the CPI(M) with sharp differences on the issue among senior leaders. Emerging from a meeting here, senior party leader Jyoti Basu told reporters that only four members had spoken and 23 others were yet to express their views. "Discussions are still on," he said. The meeting discussed issues ranging from economic agenda, Disinvestment and joining a Sonia Gandhi-led government. CPI(M) sources said a decision on whether to participate in the coalition government was expected to be taken tomorrow by the Central Committee. The Communist Party of India (CPI) on the other hand said today that it would be submitting a letter to President A P J Abdul Kalam extending support to a Congress-led government at the Centre, party leader D Raja said today.
The party`s national executive meeting which began yesterday is still continuing to discuss the issue of whether to join the government or extend support to it from outside, he told reporters here. Raja said party leaders, led by CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, would participate in a meeting of Congress` allies and supporting parties at Gandhi`s residence this evening. Bardhan had yesterday told reporters that the party had no objection to Gandhi being the Prime Minister. Also, he hoped that the other constituents of the Left Block like CPI(M) would decide on the issue soon. Bureau Report