Cong talking to allies on nuclear deal: Pranab

Congress is holding discussions with all allies, including the Left parties, on the stand-off between the UPA government and the Left on the Indo-US nuclear deal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today.

"I cannot discuss any progress with Left parties since the Parliament is in session. The whole issue will be debated fully," he told reporters after inaugurating the branch secretariat of his ministry here.

On the options before the government, he said: "Just wait and see."

Top Left leaders met in New Delhi today with CPM general secretary Prakash Karat briefing his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan on the recent central committee meeting on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The leaders are understood to have also discussed the response they have received so far from the Manmohan Singh government as well as the Congress.

The meeting comes a day after CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and briefed him on the central committee resolution, which endorsed the politburo's stand on the nuclear issue.

The core committee of the Congress also discussed the matter last night after UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi returned from her South Africa tour.

Complete Coverage: Nuclear Deal - Red Alert