Sonia likely to unveil future plans on nuke deal today

New Delhi, Mar 11 : Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi is expected to unveil the future plans for the party on Indo-US nuclear cooperation deal at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting here today.

Sonia will be addressing the General Body meeting of the CPP, the first in the current Budget Session of Parliament.

The meeting assumes significance as it comes in the wake of the Communist Party of India (CPI) formally writing to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh that it would withdraw support and the Left parties warning of serious consequences if the Government goes ahead with the deal.

The Congress leadership, which held a preliminary discussion on its strategy on the agreement on March 7, expressed itself against annoying the Left over the deal at this juncture. Although the Government wanted to go ahead with it, the leadership was not convinced about taking a course that would precipitate a crisis at the Centre.

The CPP meeting is also important, as the UPA-Left Coordination Committee on the nuclear issue is likely to meet on March 17, to take stock of the negotiations with the IAEA.

Issues like the election results, the impending poll in Karnataka and the spiraling prices of essential items are likely to be considered during the meeting.

ANI