Left meet to discuss withdrawal of support to UPA

New Delhi, Jul 4: Its the D-day for UPA as their allies, the Left parties are meeting here on Friday, July 4 to decide on the modalities of withdrawing support from the Congress led coalition government even as the Third Front ie UNPA, led by the Samajwadi Party asserted its unity on Thursday, July 3 after a crucial meeting.

The UNPA said that it was yet to decide whether to give support to the UPA or not. But in political circles it is assumed that the SP leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh would succeed in persuading other UNPA constituents, including the INLD, TDP, etc. in extending their support to the Congress-led UPA. Ahead of the crucial meeting, the CPI leaders said that the Left parties would decide the modalities for further course of action on the issue of withdrawing support to the government.

Meanwhile, the UNPA leaders wanted a national debate on the nuclear issue. INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala said: “On Indo-US civil nuclear deal many things have been said but our stand from day one has been same. For us, it's a matter of national concern, but Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that it's a matter of the cabinet. But people of the country are suspicious about the deal, as they fear it might compel them to live under the US domination. The government should explain the deal to the people. It should be made a matter of national debate."

If the Left parties withdraw their support, the government needs the support of the SP to avoid losing a vote of confidence in parliament and facing an early election.

Fearing that early elections could pave the way for the BJP to come to power, the SP has hinted it is willing to negotiate with the Congress-led government.

The Indo-US nuclear deal, which gives India access to US nuclear fuel and technology, is potentially worth billions of dollars to US and European nuclear supplier companies and would give India more energy alternatives to drive a booming, trillion-dollar economy.

Sources said that the all not well within the Left parties also. As there is difference of opinion persist among the parties on when to withdraw the support to government.

The CPM was of the view that if Left withdraws support before the PM's visit to Japan, UPA would be reduced to a minority in Parliament and this would put pressure on the PM Manmohan Singh to skip the G8 summit where he is expected to interact with world leaders on the Indo-US nuclear deal. But CPI General Secretary, A B Bardhan made it clear that there was no connection between the G8 Summit and the nuclear deal.

Also, many within the Left believe that it would not be fair to withdraw support just before the Prime Minister goes to Japan on a crucial international visit. Another section of Left believes that it should stick to its earlier stand that the Left will withdraw support only when the government decides to go to Vienna for an India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA.

ANI