Congress dismisses CPI-M's demand for a fresh mandate on N-deal

New Delhi, Feb 11 : Congress party today dismissed Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat's demand to seek a fresh mandate on strategic alliance with the United States, including the civil nuclear deal.

"Congress believes no fresh mandate is needed," AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.

Earlier today, Karat said that the Left would not allow the government to forge ties with the US, including on nuclear pact.

He demanded that the Congress party should seek a fresh mandate if it wanted to forge a strategic alliance with America and go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Singhvi said there was an UPA-Left joint mechanism to discuss the nuclear deal and no person should make statements outside it.

The CPI-M is also a part of the joint mechanism, he added.

ANI