Left further delays nuclear deal after Congress's Karnataka debacle

28 May 2008

With the recent Congress defeat at the Karnataka Assembly elections, the prospects of the Indo-US nuclear deal just got a lot bleaker, not that they were very bright in the first place, considering the Left Front's vehement opposition to it.

However, latest developments indicate that the Left realises the Congress is on a sticky wicket at present and has lost no time in capitalising on that opportunity by forcing the government to postpone a crucial 28 May meeting.

It was at this UPA-Left coordination committee meeting where the latter was expected to appraise the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition of its stand on the safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

No fresh date has been proposed so far, although 11 June has been tentatively mentioned. Tellingly, this date comes after the meeting of the IAEA board of governors from 2 June to 5 June where the safeguards agreement was supposed to be ratified.

This latest move is in complete agreement with the script of CPM and its partners to keep the deal stalled till August after which US President Bush would be in no position to persuade the American lawmakers to given their sanction for the agreement. With a new American administration, chances of the deal materializing soon are almost zero.

Left sources said that the decision to get the 28 May meeting postponed was taken on 23 May when CPM and its partners resolved not to let government go to the IAEA to sign the safeguards agreement. Left parties did not announce the decision immediately but it was conveyed to the government.