Most crucial CPI(M) Polit Bureau meet tomorrow

Kolkata, Sep 27 (UNI) Amid a premature speculation for mid-term poll, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau will sit for a crucial meeting here tomorrow to take a final stand on the Congress-led UPA Government over the contentious issue of Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The one-day meet, will be followed by a three-day Central Committee meeting of the party, which will ratify the Polit Bureau decision.

While putting its foot down against the nuke treaty that the party considers detrimental to national sovereignty, the meeting is expected to look for a way to pass the responsibility on to the Congress for avoiding an early election.

Unrelenting in its ideological point against 'US imperialism', a major driving force of the party, the CPI(M) is unlikely to back out from its avowed stand already spelt out by General Secretary Prakash Karat, while remaining alert against the possible blame for thrusting an ''unnecessary'' poll on the nation.

''The meeting will first review the stand of the Government over the past one month since the time we asked it not to move one step ahead with the deal. We shall also assess the impact of the nationwide campaign party, carried out by the party over the past one month and take stock of the national situation,'' high level sources in the CPI(M) said.

''In no case are we going to compromise on national interest as the Hyde Act is bound to cast an ominous spell on the 123 agreement.

We shall not support the Government on this count. But we are also not in favour of foisting a mid-term poll on the country. It is up to the Congress whether they should invite it,'' the sources said.

Driven by the uniform perception of America as an epitome of imperialism, the party rallied behind Mr Karat on this issue despite the fact that there were differences within the CPI(M) over withdrawal of support to the UPA Government.

While veteran party leader Jyoti Basu was of the view that Hyde Act could never be used as a subject to convince the people about a possible withdrawal of support to the Government, the CPI(M) launched a month-long campaign to reach the people with this issue.

UNI