Seeking to consolidate the non-BJP parties against the N- deal, the CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Tuesday held consultations with the SP and TDP ? two crucial members of the UNPA or Third Front here to evolve a collective strategy against the Congress.
Besides ?briefing? the UNPA leadership about the discussions that the Left had with the government on the deal on Monday, the one-hour meeting held at the residence of SP general secretary Amar Singh also discussed strategies to be adopted in Parliament in the forthcoming winter session that is likely to be advanced keeping in view the Gujarat assembly elections.
A debate on the nuclear deal is not being ruled out in the Parliament session and a consolidated strategy against the government, even minus BJP support, is expected to put the UPA under strain. Already some of the constituents within the UPA are distressed about the standoff with the Left on the deal, even though they still continue to back the nuclear deal.
??We worked out a common approach on the nuclear issue. In Parliament session also they will coordinate with us,?? Karat told reporters after the meeting. Apart from Karat, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu, TDP leaders Yerran Naidu and Rammohan Rao attended the meeting.
Later, the UNPA, minus the AIADMK, also held a separate meeting on Tuesday. ??CPI(M) and parties like SP are natural allies. There is nothing new if we meet,?? Singh said after the meeting. He added that the SP has exactly the same opinion of the CPI(M) on the deal and hoped the UNPA will also take a similar position on the issue.
Karat later met his CPI counterpart AB Bardhan and informed him about the day?s developments. After the meeting Bardhan said that both of them reviewed the outcome of the UPA-Left political committee?s meeting on Monday. ??It was a routine meeting.??
