Govt retreat on N-deal: Left to wait and watch

A cautious Left favours a "wait and watch" approach to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's latest remarks on nuclear deal and stability of the government.

Top leaders of the two communist parties, CPI and CPI(M), didn't want to project the seeming toning down of the ruling party stand on the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement as a "victory" of their persistence and pressure. Instead, they are trying to ascertain if the government has indeed decided to put the deal in cold storage.

Reacting to the PM's remarks, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri said, "The PM is entitled to his opinion and we are entitled to our opinion. The PM wants the deal to go through, but we don't. Due to this difference, a committee has been set up and we will discuss the issue in the committee".

CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan also echoed the same line: "This is just a sober position compared to what it was earlier."

However, before it starts celebrating its victory, the Left would prefer to wait for the next round of talks of the UPA-Left nuclear committee, to be held on October 22.

Bardhan told Business Standard, "Whether this actually means any change in attitude of the government will be known only after we sit with them and talk in the committee."

Left leaders believe that primarily the pressure from the allies might have made the PM and the Congress president take a soft approach. A CPI(M) leader said, "I think the UPA allies like the RJD and the DMK felt that the government should not go for the nuclear deal at the cost of its existence."

The Left insists that even in the discussions at the last meeting, the UPA showed no sign of relenting under pressure but held its ground. The last meeting remained "inconclusive" because the two sides remained where they were.