CPI-M meet on N-deal underway

A crucial meeting of the Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo began in Delhi on Friday to take a final view on its strategy in Parliament following its opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of senior CPI-M leaders saying that while they were strongly opposed to the deal, they would not like to disturb the stability of the United Progressive Alliance government, which the party is supporting from outside.

Some Left party leaders have said that they might decide to politically distance themselves form the ruling coalition due to major differences on foreign and economic policies.

The two-day politburo meeting is likely to plan out a series of protest actions against the government's economic and foreign policies, Left sources said.

The CPI-M meeting also comes in the backdrop of the CPI demand that the Left parties should "redefine" their relationship with the UPA and distance themselves from the ruling coalition.

A meeting of the CPI's central secretariat is also slated for Frioday afternoon to review the political situation in the context of the nuclear deal.

The other issues that would come up in the meeting include price rise, sporadic communal clashes and social security measures for unorganised and agriculture labourers, which the government has promised but is yet to implement, the sources said.

On Thursday, the Left parties condemned the US statement that the 123 agreement could be scrapped if India carried out a nuclear test.

They have stated that the government should not operationalise the deal and proceed with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group on the matter.

"The honeymoon may be over, but the marriage can go on," CPM general secretary Prakash Karat remarked minutes before the politburo meeting when asked about his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan's statement on Thursday.

Bardhan had said the "honeymoon (between UPA and Left) is over" and the Left would not hesitate to "file divorce papers" if it comes to that.

In an interview to a TV channel, Bardhan had said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has to "stop operationalising" the nuclear deal to save his government.