Prez address in Parliament threatens to nuke UPA Govt

NUKE TALK: President Patil said the UPA Govt hopes to carry on civil nuclear cooperation with the US.

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Keywords: Nuclear Deal, Left

New Delhi: The countdown seems to have begun for yet another confrontation between the UPA Government and the Left over the Indo-US nuclear deal after President Pratibha Patil revived hope for a fresh push at the nuke deal during her speech at the start of the Budget Session on Monday.

Addressing the joint session of Parliament, President Patil said that the UPA Government hoped to carry on civil nuclear cooperation with the United States.

"Our relations with the United States of America have improved in the past few years, and now span a wide spectrum, including high technology, space, agriculture, education and trade and other linkages. It is our hope that civil nuclear cooperation with the USA and other friendly countries will become possible," the President said in her first address to Parliament.

The President's intent was clear. The crucial final round of safeguard talks with the IAEA is on in Vienna. The familiar face of nuclear negotiation, Ronen Sen, has been asked to carry on as ambassador in Washington. While two sticking points remain in the talks with the IAEA, the bigger worry for the government is at home.

The speech immediately precipitated a political crisis. The Left was quick to send out a warning against any attempt to carry forward the nuclear agreement.

When the govt makes a renewed pitch for a green signal from the Left, it will look to de-hyphenate the deal from the US. As for the Left, there are no indication that they are willing to bite the bait.

"Our position remains where it was. We continue to maintain that this deal is not in the interest of India," CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said on Monday.

The Left may be playing down its anxiety, but sources in the Congress say that the government may go ahead and ink the deal, risking an early election.