Privatisation is Thackeray's new bone of contention

Privatisation is Thackeray's new bone of contention
PRAFULLA MARPAKWAR

MUMBAI, DEC 30: For the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, it was a political victory when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre indefinitely postponed the cabinet committee meeting on disinvestment.

Apparently, because the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was unable to lend an ear to the grievances of a highlevel delegation led by Union Minister for Heavy Industries Manohar Joshi on privatisation, the cabinet committee decided to meet at a later date.

``The Prime Minister had given us appointment on two occasions earlier to discuss our views on privatisation. However, on both occasions the meeting was cancelled from the PMO. And now the cabinet committee meeting has been postponed at the Prime Minister's instance. We are sure the Prime Minister will not take any decision on disinvestment without consulting the Shiv Sena,'' a senior Sena MP said.

Soon after the Centre took the decision to privatise a section of the sick Public Sector Undertakings, Thackeray wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him not to take any policy decision on disinvestment without consultation. Later, Thackeray said he will soon despatch a highlevel delegation comprising Manohar Joshi, Suresh Prabhu and Sanjay Nirupam to present the Sena's views on the issue.

Though not against privatisation, Thackeray's main contention is that any policy decision on privatisation should be taken only after safeguarding national interests. Further, organisations like Air India, Indian Airline or Maruti Udyog `should not' be offered to foreigners and that there should be complete transparency in the entire transaction.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister had deployed Union Minister of State for Disinvestment, Arun Shourie, to meet up with Thackeray. Accordingly, Shourie had a marathon meeting with Thackeray in which he made it clear that unless a delegation of the Shiv Sena meets the Prime Minister, no policy decision on privatisation should be taken.

``At a juncture, when support of even one party MP is crucial for the survival of the NDA government, we don't think that Vajpayee will incur the wrath of Shiv Sena, which has 15 MPs,'' the MP added.

Owing to postponement of the meeting, uncertainty prevails over the privatisation of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). ``Both, MTNL and VSNL were on the agenda for the meeting which the cabinet committee was scheduled to have with the Prime Minister,'' he informed.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Shiv Sena is likely to support the Congress demand for a Standing Parliamentary Committee on privatisation, a step which would provide more transparency in the disinvestment decisions taken by the Centre.