Left146;s pullout decision could come today

With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declaring the UPA Government8217;s intention to approach the IAEA Board of Governors...

With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declaring the UPA Government8217;s intention to approach the IAEA Board of Governors for confirming the safeguards agreement, the Left on Monday advanced its scheduled meeting on Tuesday evening by a few hours to discuss the timing of withdrawal of support.

A majority of Left leaders favoured immediate withdrawal of support in view of the PM8217;s clear assertion, although they remained non-committal stating that a final decision would be taken only on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee replied to the Left letter fixing the next and final meeting of the UPA-Left panel on July 10, the day Prime Minister is scheduled to return from Japan after attending the G8 summit.

His letter was in response to the deadline set by the Left to the Government to make it clear whether it intended to approach the IAEA Board. While Mukherjee8217;s letter was non-committal on the exact date, the PM8217;s statement set the cat among pigeons in the Left camp with many leaders seeing no point in waiting for the PM8217;s return.

8220;Such a categorical statement by the Prime Minister on foreign soil is a snub to the entire democratic process at home. Pranab Mukherjee has proposed a meeting of the UPA-Left committee on July 10. Now after the PM8217;s statement the meeting has become meaningless,8221; CPI leader D Raja told The Indian Express.

Sources in the Left parties said a final decision on withdrawal of support would be taken on Tuesday.

8220;What is the point in waiting now. We can have the meeting earlier. The Prime Minister has already announced that the Government is going to the IAEA. The President is returning tomorrow. We have to seek time,8221; a CPIM Politburo member said when asked why the Left meeting has been advanced.

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While RSP wanted immediate withdrawal of support, Forward Bloc is of the view that the Left should wait till the Prime Minister returns.

8220;If the Prime Minister is not courteous to the democratic process and has no respect for the committee, why should we remain courteous,8221; this was the refrain of another Left leader. The Left8217;s calculation was that the Government would convey its decision to approach the IAEA after the Prime Minister8217;s return and they had indicated that withdrawal of support could come only after that.

Left leaders appeared to be taken aback by the Prime Minister8217;s announcement. 8220;The Prime Minister has put Mukherjee and the UPA-Left panel in a ridiculous position. Mukherjee should explain why he invited the Left parties for the meeting to finalise the Committee8217;s findings if the Government has already decided to move the IAEA,8221; Raja said.

Mukherjee8217;s letter fixing the next date of the UPA-Left mechanism was silent on the IAEA question.

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8220;As decided in our discussions in the ninth meeting of the UPA-Left committee on Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation, we are now ready with a draft report for the consideration of the committee8230;.Early submission of the report by the committee would enable the UPA Government to take into account the committee8217;s findings,8221; it said.

Both the sides had agreed at the last meeting of the panel on July 25 that discussions have been completed on all aspects of the deal and had decided to finalise the findings of the committee in the next meeting. While the Left contemplated early withdrawal, the Congress urged them to wait till July 10 when the PM returns.

8220;The UPA-Left committee is meeting on July 10. In its last meeting it was decided that they would come back and finalise the findings in the next meeting. Till then they should wait. They should have the minimum tolerance to wait till then,8221; AICC media cell chairperson Veerappa Moily told reporters here.