Paswan, Lalu meet Sonia to discuss political situation

New Delhi, Jun 23 (UNI) Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party President Ram Vilas Paswan today met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and gave her their assessment on the country's political situation, calling it "unfavourable" for going to polls.

After the meeting, Mr Prasad said the time was not ripe for going to polls, so any political crisis arising out of the differences with the Left on nuclear deal must be avoided.

Mr Paswan said the LJP was with the government on the nuclear deal. He asserted that the UPA Government would continue in power and there would not be any snap polls.

NCP leader Sharad Pawar, who is mediating with the Left parties, also met her to give his assessment of the political situation.

Ms Gandhi met the allies in view of the sharp differences between the Government and the Left parties on the nuclear deal. The Left parties want that the country should not sign the deal, which, according to them, would make the country subservient to the strategic interest of the United States.

However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh want the country to sign the deal, otherwise he would not attend the G-8 meeting.

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