The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan, Karat hold talks

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Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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Manmohan, Karat hold talks

Special Correspondent

Polit Bureau to be briefed on the points discussed on nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance on Tuesday opened a dialogue with the Left parties on the nuclear deal with the United States, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party insisted that it would press for a discussion in Parliament under rules that entail a vote.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party India (Marxist), and discussed the issue.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr. Karat said he would place the points discussed before the party’s Polit Bureau at its meeting here on August 17 and 18.

Another round of talks between the CPI (M) and the UPA could take place after the Polit Bureau’s discussions.

Dr. Singh and Mr. Karat “reiterated that efforts would be made to sort out the issues,” the statement said.

Karat briefs Bardhan

Soon after the breakfast meeting, Mr. Karat had a meeting with Communist Party of India general secretary A.B. Bardhan and briefed him on the deliberations.

Mr. Karat told The Hindu that the Government presented its view and he reiterated the Left parties’ stand, including the suggestion that the deal not be operationalised. He highlighted the apprehensions on the implications of the Hyde Act passed by the U.S. Congress.

At a meeting of its central secretariat on Tuesday, the CPI decided that as a discussion on the nuclear deal is likely to come up only next week, a final view could be taken at its extended meeting on August 17 and 18.

The Prime Minister spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the nuclear issue.

The BJP Parliamentary Party met under the chairmanship of L.K. Advani and decided to press for a debate in the Lok Sabha under Rule 184 and in the Rajya Sabha under Rule 168.

BJP spokesperson Vijay Kumar Malhotra told journalists that the party hoped that when a discussion took place in Parliament, “parties opposed to it would show their opposition through vote.” At the meeting, Mr. Advani said that since the Jana Sangh days, the party was in favour of the country possessing a nuclear bomb.

However, the BJP did not have much hope from the Left parties [in voting against the Government] as the Left had always opposed the bomb, Mr. Malhotra said.

Asked whether the BJP would bring a no-confidence motion against the Government, he said the party had not discussed the issue.

Independent India at 60

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