New Delhi, June 24
Although there is little possibility of a breakthrough at tomorrow’s meeting of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the government will make a last-ditch attempt to persuade the Communists to allow it to seal the India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Left parties are adamant on withdrawing support if the government moves ahead on the nuke deal. They have also rejected the compromise formula suggested by the UPA allies that the government be allowed to confirm the agreement with the IAEA on the undertaking that it will not take the matter beyond that stage.
The government is also not in favour of any compromise. “The final objective is to have the deal or no deal,” remarked a UPA leader.
It is only after the Left formally communicates its decision will a political call will be taken on the next move by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.“Any decision on moving ahead or shelving the deal will be taken only after tomorrow’s meeting,” a UPA source disclosed.
The Congress has to decide if it wants to part company with the Left on such bitter terms that it becomes difficult for the two to collaborate in future.
However, it cannot overlook how India’s credibility is being undermined for reneging on an international treaty.
UPA sources disclosed in case the government feels it cannot stake its national prestige, it could look at the possibility of approaching the IAEA only after the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which will be end-August.
The government is hoping that inflation would have come down by then and a good monsoon and a bumper crop would help them tide over the present crisis.
Meanwhile, DMK leader T.R.Baalu called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today to brief her about the outcome of the meeting the Left leaders had with DMK chief M.Karunanidhi on Sunday.
Although the DMK will go with the Congress party’s final decision, it has also told Sonia Gandhi that early elections should be avoided.”There is no imminent threat to the government over the nuke deal,” Baalu told mediapersons after the meeting, adding that the UPA and the Left should avoid a showdown and resolve their differences across the table.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan had met Sonia Gandhi yesterday.
External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairman of the UPA-Left panel on the sensitive issue, would be back from Australia later today and is expected to consult Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before tomorrow’s talks with leaders of the Left parties.
