Yechury downplays ''war of nerves'' between Govt and Left

New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) The CPI(M) today threw broad hints that there was no possibility of snap polls in the country against the backdrop of the logjam over the Indo-US nuclear accord.

Seeking to downplay the war of nerves between the government and the Left parties over the pact CPI(M) stalwart and Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury asserted that both sides had every right to put forth their viewpoints.

''There is nothing wrong in the statements coming from both sides contradicting each other's viewpoints. But it has no meaning as you perceive it to be,'' clarified Mr Yechury.

At a news conference, the CPI(M) parliamentary group leader said the government was free to tell the people its viewpoint, praising the deal to the skies.

''We have also gone to the people and started an agitation against the joint naval exercises,'' he added.

Mr Yechury's remarks came a day after AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh denied that the public contact programmes of the Congress were aimed at preparing for a mid-term general election.

Even CPI general secretary A B Bardhan scoffed at the talk of the possible mid-term polls, saying the time was not ripe for withdrawing support to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

When reminded of certain Congress leaders' statements that the ruling coalition was ''not bound'' by the UPA-LEFT panel findings and that the government had not put the deal on hold, Mr Yechury quipped, '' We have no problem with what any one says.'' He emphasised that the UPA-LEFT panel had already started working and its first formal meeting was to take place tomorrow, only to find out how a ''beech ka rasta (the middle path)'' could be found out to remove the Left parties' concerns and objections to the deal.

UNI