Left yet to hear from government on N-deal

The Left parties on Tuesday said they were yet to formally hear from the government on its stand on the India-United States nuclear deal after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to American President George W Bush on the issue.

However, the Communist Party of India welcomed reports that the government had put the nuclear deal on hold, saying good sense had prevailed after all. "It is nice that, though late, good sense has prevailed (Der se sahi, akal aayi). There is co-ordination a meeting with the government on October 22 and that is when we will receive a formal word on the issue from the Government," CPI general-secretary A B Bardhan said.

Replying to a question on whether the Left thinks that the United Progressive Alliance might go back on its word over the India-US nuclear deal, Bardhan said, "After the public commitment that they have made, I don't think they will go back. Anyway, let us see what they have to say on October 22."

Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Sitaram Yechury refused to react to the prime minister's telephonic conversation with Bush. Yechury, who was speaking to PTI over phone from Guwahati, however, said "We have read reports about discussion between the prime minister and Bush in the media. We are expecting to be briefed on this in the October 22 meeting."