Buddadeb Bhattacharjee backs UPA government amidst Left opposition to nuclear pact with US

17 September 2007

Mumbai: West Bengal chief minister and CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has come out in support of the nuclear pact with the United States, saying nuclear energy is important for India.

Buddhadeb''s statement is likely to deepen the divide within the Left Front as he said the debate was more technical than political. "As far as I am concerned, we should go ahead with nuclear power, it just cannot be avoided," he told a meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Buddhadeb''s comments came even as the Left parties warned the central government that only a government without their support could go ahead with the deal. Bhattacharjee came out in support of the government although he mentioned that there were some doubts on environment impact, cost of setting up nuclear plants and pricing of power.

"These will have to be properly assessed by scientists, planners, economists and corporates," he said.

He also said that the power supply in West Bengal would have to increase. "Problem in our state is 96 per cent is thermal power. India is basically dependent on thermal power, it may be different in the northern parts of the country," he said.

"Let the scientists debate for some time, and then we will take a call," he said.