CPM not to compromise on nuke deal: Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, Sep 29: Putting the ball in the Congress' court to avoid a mid-term poll, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau has decided not to compromise on its stand over the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

''We shall not go for any compromise on the nuke deal. There is a meeting of the Left leaders with UPA representatives on October five to be followed by another meet next month. Let us see what step Congress takes,'' veteran leader Jyoti Basu today said.

Mr Basu, who was accosted by reporters while coming out of the party's three-day Central Committee meeting that began today, said CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat had apprised the CC members the view of the Polit Bureau that deliberated the issue yesterday.

''Now, our other comrades will also speak on the subject,'' he said. The nonagenarian leader has already conveyed the party's stand to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is now abroad on an official visit.

''Mr Pranab Mukherjee called me up two days ago. I told him that he would come to know about our views at the joint committee meeting. But I said there shall be no compromise,'' Mr Basu said.

The veteran leaders statement came a day after Mr Karat said the party was looking forward to the outcome of the October five joint committee meeting hinting that the CPI(M) was unlikely to go for any immediate drastic move by withdrawing support to the Government.

His statement indicated that the party, which had already vowed not to support the Government in the event of the nuke deal being operationalised, was working out a formula to thrust the onus on the Congress to evade an early Lok Sabha poll.

Mr Karat had said the Polit Bureau discussed almost all political issues. He, however, refused to divulge the details.

Earlier, party spokesman Sitaram Yechury had also indicated that the future of the Congress-led coalition Government at the Centre would depend on the meeting of the joint committee. Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe had said whatever decision the Polit Bureau took would be unanimous.

UNI