Mumbai: Congress president Sonia Gandhi is understood to have given the green light to prime minister Manmohan Singh to go ahead with the nuclear deal even if it means losing the government at the centre.

In her latest decree, Sonia also asked Congressmen to prepare for general elections, clearly indicating that the party is willing to risk elections.

Sonia's call came during a meeting convened by her of top party functionaries. And, going by the stand taken by her, it seems the party has taken the 'political call' on the N-deal issue.

The nuke deal issue, however, did not figure on the agenda during the hour-long discussions.

The Congress seems to have taken into confident the NCP and the RJD, its existing alliance partners. The UPA is also banking on support from Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for the Indo-US nuclear co-operation agreement to pass through.

Mulam Singh, however, maintained that none from the Congress has talked to him on the nuclear issue.

The Congress seems to be trying a two-pronged strategy of bringing in more allies and isolating the Left rather than rocking the boat.

The Congress leadership is also set to stay on course ''with or without SP.''

"The issue has already been discussed at two working committee meetings," a senior leader said, indicating that no further discussion was required at the party level on the nuclear deal.

Sonia Gandhi also directed senior leaders to draw up time-bound programmes and strategies to re-energise the party in all states.

The Congress president also assigned tasks to party general secretaries and in-charges of states asking them to organise the party "everywhere" at all levels for five assemblies and the next Lok Sabha elections.