PM calls off peace meet with Left

NUCLEAR DEAL DONE, POLITICIANS TAKE OVER

The relations between the Left and the Congress worsened significantly as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today called off his proposed meeting with a delegation of the Left parties.

This came as the Congress showed signs of increasing impatience at the opposition to the deal. That not a single opposition seat was occupied after the prime minister read his statement in the Rajya Sabha has deepened the party's sense of betrayal. The Samajwadi Party's stalling tactics in the Lok Sabha, not allowing the prime minister to read his statement, has further frayed tempers in the party.

"Enough is enough. For a long time we have been seeing the way they (the Left parties) have been behaving. We are disgusted with the way they are treating this government. A large section of the party feels we should not allow them to treat us like this. Let them withdraw support," said a senior minister from the party.

Another minister said the success of the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement was the result of the prime minister's interaction with the US president. "The vacant opposition seats showed the parliamentary majority is not in favour of the agreement. The prime minister lost face with the US after giving it an assurance that he will ensure the passage of the deal," the minister said.

There are other grouses too. "Most of our economic agenda had to be dumped because of the Left. Pension reforms are stuck and the insurance Bill has been stalled. We cannot think of labour reforms. It is time we asked ourselves how we are running the government," said another Cabinet minister.

It is, however, clear that no one "� least of all any UPA ally "� is talking about elections. No ally wants an early election, though the proposition that it is time the Congress dumps the Left is being freely discussed in the government. "We will like to see how many seats they (the Left parties) can win from West Bengal and Kerala. Most MPs of the Samajwadi Party, which is not allowing the House to run, won't be able to save their seats," a minister said.

Party chief Sonia Gandhi's thinking on the issue is not clear yet. A meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party is scheduled for tomorrow. As the Congress Working Committee has already endorsed the deal, the parliamentary party is likely to add to that. Nevertheless, several senior party managers are liaising with the Left as well as with other allies to ensure its flanks are secure.