UNPA in touch wih Left, SP's final stand after July 3 meeting

New Delhi, Jun 24 (UNI) Efforts were on between the UNPA and the Left today to narrow down their differences over the Indo-US nuclear deal amid reports of the Samajwadi Party inclining towards extending the much needed support to the Congress-led UPA government in the event of the Left parties withdrawing support.

SP chief and UNPA chairperson Mulayam Singh Yadav who landed in the capital today, refused to give any categorical assurance to the Left that he would be opposing the deal.

He said a final decision in this regard would be taken by the UNPA at its meeting here on July 3.

Meanwhile, one of the main UNPA constituent TDP's Ram Mohan had a meeting with a number of Left leaders before finally meeting Mr Yadav in the evening.

''I had discussion with CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and CPI leaders D Raja and A B Bardhan. Of course the issue was the nuclear deal, and it was an exercise to understand each other's point of view before the UNPA July 3 meeting,'' Mr Mohan told UNI.

He, however, refused to confirm whether Mr Yadav had met Mr Karat, but it is supposed that the UNPA chairperson had at least a telephonic talk with the Left leader.

Mr Yadav also had a telephonic conversation wih TDP chief Chandra Babu Naidu.

The Samajwadi Party had just 24 hours ago reiterated its stand that it could modify its position on the deal provided the government gave some new assurances based on new facts that the deal would not harm the interest of the country.

The support of the SP, which has 39 MPs in the Lok Sabha, to the UPA government at this juncture (especially after the withdrawal of the BSP support)' was critical.

Mr Mohan said the UNPA will hold talks with the Left on or after July 3 when it meets here to crystalise its response to the current crisis arising out of the stringent opposition of the Left to the Indo-US nuclear deal, and its threat to withdraw support to the UPA government on the issue.

''We are meeting at our senior leader Om Prakash Chautala's residence on July 3 to take stock of the current political situation, especially the UPA government's move to go for IAEA safeguards agreement, and after that the Alliance would hold a separate meeting with the Left'' a UNPA source told UNI.

Besides the prevailing political situation, the UNPA's strategy for the next general election would also be discussed, he said.

All senior leaders of the alliance, including Mr Chandra Babu Naidu would attend the meeting.

UN NAZ AM RAI2204