NEW DELHI, May 22: Steps to bridge the burgeoning oil pool deficit and differences in the United Front on the Bill for 33 per cent reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures are likely to figure prominently in the Front's steering committee meeting here on May 25.

The issue regarding the CBI's request for prosecution of Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav in the fodder scam may also figure in the meeting for which Front convenor N Chandrababu Naidu has issued invitations to all the leaders of the constituent parties, sources said.

The Left parties have already given notice that they would resist any move to raise the prices of petroleum products as they feared it would have a cascading effect on the price situation and put an enormous burden on the common man.

They are in favour of the government taking steps which would not in any way alter the price structure of petroleum products in its bid to contain or reduce the deficit.

Petroleum Minister T R Baalu and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, also expected to attend the meeting, have already discussed the issue with Prime Minister I K Gujral.

While a section in the Janata Dal is demanding reservation within reservation for OBCs and proportional quota for minorities, other constituents -- the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) -- favour quotas for OBC women within the 33 per cent reservation.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.