Left heaves a collective sigh of relief on Iraq

Karat, who seemed satisfied with Singh’s clarification that the UPA Government will be abide by the Parliamentary resolution on the Iraq issue, said that his party had no problems about sending humanitarian aide to any country caught in strife, provided it is under the UN banner.

Left parties, a key prop of the UPA Government, had reacted sharply to what was initially perceived as a shift of stance by the Foreign Minister on the issue of sending troops to Iraq.

Meanwhile, the Left seemed caught in a bind over the slanging match between the Congress and Mulayam Singh in Uttar Pradesh.

CPI-M general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet said he had spoken to Mulayam on the phone ‘‘once or twice’’ in the recent days — which itself is an indication that the matter is not being taken lightly by either side.

In order to boost the UP Chief Minister’s ego, even CPI-M Politburo member, the reticent Karat interacted with Mulayam (under siege from within what the Left loves to call ‘‘the secular parties’’) on the issue.

The Left parties, sources said, have assured Singh that he has ‘‘nothing to worry about’’. But, as much as Surjeet or the CPI-M would like to wish away the crisis, they can do precious little to stop the Congress from trying ‘‘to create more political space for itself’’, which would take it to a more presentable tally from the 16 MLAs they now have.

However, the Left leaders admit that they cannot possibly ask the Congress to desist from undertaking a political agitation. ‘‘It is not just an internal party decision, but they are also well within their rights as a political party, to undertaken a political programme,’’ a senior Left leader said.

But, if it comes to pulling down the Mulayam Singh government in UP, then the CPI-M is certainly not going to remain a mute spectator, sources said, adding: ‘‘No one should be taken for granted.’’