Monday brought a lot of satisfaction to the Congress-led UPA government that primarily gave consensus between the Left and Congress on the question of nuclear deal with the CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat statements that “there was no threat to the UPA government over the India-US nuclear deal.
Karat stated that there was no threat to the UPA government, and it would complete its full five-year term.
Tension between the two parties looked waning after foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee’s comments that ruled out differences with the Left over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
The meeting of the UPA-Left panel on the deal that is expected to be taken place on March 17, will not likely to be seen as a ‘make or break’ event. Mukherjee can be expectedly seeking from the meeting more concessions from the Left, as it allowed the Manmohan Singh government to approach IAEA for discussions on safeguards.
The meeting between the Congress and the Left will be taking place at the backdrop of a recent threat from the Left to withdraw support from the Manmohan Singh’s government, if it goes next step forward on the nuclear deal.
In the meeting the UPA is expected to share the draft with the Left, which its negotiators have secured at Vienna. Also, the 123-agreement with US and the Hyde Act will likely to be discussed.
The foreign minister has already said that the deal cannot be signed by a minority government and also, the Congress at the time is not ready to face early elections.
Message was unambiguous that the Congress would not like to take matters to a stage, where it fears to lose power. And, for the Congress, the Left’s consent will remain critical before India approach NSG for an exemption. So, the discussion is likely to be taking place within these parameters.
Besides, Congress has many other factors to be worried such as the election results, the impending poll in Karnataka and the spiralling prices of essential commodities. On the other way, if the government were to go by the timeline it has in mind on taking the next step i.e. the move to take exemption from NSG, because it has not much time at hand.
The US interlocutors have already maintained that it will need at least a month to discuss the issue with the 45-member suppliers group. At the backdrop of this timeline the Congress prompted to claim that the government would go ahead with the nuclear deal.
But, after taking a stern stand by the Left that the Congress ready to face early elections if went any step next on the nuclear deal; the Congress retreated and said the government would take a call on the deal after consultations with the Left parties.
Left’s last week ultimatum
The Left reacted promptly to the government attempt to push the deal once again with CPM demanded an immediate meeting of the panel constituted on nuclear deal. And, warned the Congress to face adverse early elections if it goes ahead on the nuclear deal and given an ultimatum to call on the meeting by March 15.
CPM weekly mouthpiece 'People's Democracy' also published an article stating that it was not within the scope or jurisdiction of the IAEA to provide any assurance for uninterrupted fuel supply or help India build a strategic reserve. The party had reiterated that Hyde Act would drive 123 Agreement.
The general secretary of Communist Party of India, A B Bardhan in a letter to the Prime Minister had said the Left would have no option but to withdraw support to the government, if it goes ahead with the nuclear deal.
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