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Left to continue support

Hindustan Times | BySutirtho Patranobis, New Delhi
Aug 12, 2007 02:59 AM IST

Left parties react to Manmohan’s statement that the Communists can withdraw support if they want to, saying that bringing down the Govt won't be in the interest of the country, reports Sutirtho Patranobis.

Left parties on Saturday reacted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that the Communists could withdraw support if they wanted to, saying that bringing down the UPA Government will not be in the interest of the country.

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The Left’s reaction indicated that their opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal would continue, but only till a point.

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Senior Left leaders said withdrawal of support was the prerogative of the four parties, which together have 59 MPs in Lok Sabha. But the parties, they said, were aware that bringing down the government would mean mid-term polls, which the BJP is waiting for. But the Left’s position on the nuclear deal remains unchanged: they will oppose it.

“The Prime Minister and the Government must realise this agreement is not acceptable to the majority in Parliament. As far as the approach to the government is concerned, we will take our own counsel,’’ CPI (M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, without referring to the PM’s statement, said in an interview to The Telegraph newspaper.

Karat’s colleague in CPI (M), Sitaram Yechury, told reporters in Hyderabad that the CPI (M) was concerned about national interest alone and its main demand was that the “deal should not be operationalised”. Asserting that his party has a democratic right to express its views, Yechury added, “this should not be construed as a threat. Everything should not be linked to pulling down the government.’’

Yechury said before the deal was operationalised, the country has to sign two agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, where corrections could be brought about.

D Raja, CPI’s Rajya Sabha member said, "We have always criticised the UPA government in a positive manner. Withdrawing support was a larger political question and it is for us (Left parties to decide). The PM always knew we had differences on the issue. And he did not say he does not need our support. The PM maybe anguished but we are also anguished about the deal."

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