Nothing is inevitable, says PM on mid-term poll

New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today did not rule out the possibility of early elections to the Lok Sabha even as he stressed that it was for all concerned to make the coalition politics work.

"Nothing is inevitable," Dr Singh told mediapersons at an 'iftar' party hosted by him at his official residence, in reply to a question about the general belief that the differences between the ruling UPA and the supporting Left parties were heading towards the collapse of the government.

He, however, sounded optimistic when he pointed out that the dialogue with the Left on the Indo-US Nuclear deal had been progressing and there was a hope in the outcome.

"If you have dialogue you should hope for the best." Asked if there was a possibility of the Left withdrawing its support tothe government, Dr Singh laughed it away, saying he was not an astrologer.

Replying to a question on the forthcoming visit of IAEA Director General Mohammed El Baradei, the Prime Minister said. "it is a goodwill visit. We look forward to welcome him." He, however, did not say whether the government would discuss India-specific sageguards with the IAEA chief.

Asked if the government had given any assurance to the Left at the third UPA-Left meeting held here yesterday that it would not negotiate with the IAEA till the panel completed its task, Dr Singh said, "I don't want to say anything." Dr Singh dismissed as "temporary phenomenon" the rise in the price of onions, and said the Centre did not control production. "In a large country like ours, these things happen." On Karnataka developments, he refused to give his reaction. "I am watching on television what is happening." Among those who attended the customary iftar party included : Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Fertilisers and Chemicals Minister Ramvilas Paswan, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Motilal Vora, Margret Alva, Veerappa Moily, large number of Muslim leaders and a host of diplomats from Arab countries.

Interestingly, CPI(M) Polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury was the lone representative from the Left.

UNI