UPA panel meet adjourned till evening

NEW DELHI: Discussions over energy security figured prominently at Monday's UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting that was adjourned till evening.

Minister of state in PMO Prithviraj Chavan said after the meeting that the Left also sought clarifications from the government, but did not elaborate on what issues.

HRD Minister Arjun Singh, at the Centre of the quota row, is expected to make his presentation in the session scheduled for 6:30 pm.

Asked if there were any discussions on the possibility of rise in fuel prices, he said Petroleum Minister Murli Deora was not scheduled to make any presentation to the panel.

"The issue of energy security was broadly touched," he said.

Also there was no specific discussion on the current volatility in the stock market but Finance Minister P Chidambaram's presentation figured around the country's overall economic scenario, Chavan added.

The meeting, held at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Race Course Road residence, was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Left leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan, D Raja among others.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who is under opposition fire over wheat import, Home Minister Patil and Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran made their presentations in the three-hour meeting before it was adjourned because of the leaders' engagements in Parliament.

In his presentation Patil briefed the panel on internal security, Naxal violence and the communal situation in the country.