The Hindu Business Line : Left to withdraw support to UPA tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Ending weeks of suspense, the Left parties on Tuesday announced withdrawal of support to the UPA over the Indo-US nuclear deal but the Congress said there was no threat to the Government.

A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared that Government would “very soon'' approach the IAEA to move forward on the deal, an upset Left said the “time has come'' to pull the rug.

The four parties -- CPI (M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP-- have sought an appointment with President Pratibha Patil tomorrow morning to submit their letter of withdrawal of support, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after an hour-long m eeting of leaders of these parties. They have also asked the President to direct the Prime Minister to seek a trust vote to prove his majority in the Lok Sabha.

The Left parties in a letter to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, copies of which were circulated to the media, made it clear that there was no point in going ahead with the proposed meeting of the UPA-Left committee on the deal in view of PM's remarks.

Unfazed over the Left's decision, the Congress claimed that Government has the requisite strength in the Lok Sabha. - PTI

Prev: Govt expects good production in Kharif season
Next: G-8 leaders share PM's concerns on oil prices

Business Line | NUS Index |