Click to play videoNew Delhi: The growing American pressure on the Government to get going on the nuclear deal is starting to show on the UPA leadership.
External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday called up Left leaders, urging them to maintain peace so the Government can go ahead with talks at the IAEA.
This follows a late night call to Mukherjee from US Secretary of State Condolezza Rice on Monday.
Rice reportedly told Mukherjee that the US will not renegotiate the nuclear deal.
The CPI-M politburo is meeting in the second week of November to take stock of the situation.
The word from Rice comes in the wake of a major US effort to reach out to critics of the deal in India. The venerable Henry Kissinger batted for the deal when he called on BJP Chief L K Advani in Delhi on Monday, but no breakthrough has been reported so far.
The window for the deal is shrinking and it must be voted on by the US Congress by early next year before election fever grips Congress.
The Left is also in touch with the UNPA leaders to ensure better floor coordination in Parliament. The nuclear deal is expected to dominate Parliament proceedings in the Winter Session beginning December 15.
While the Left Parties are sticking to their stand, Opposition BJP seems to be reworking its nuclear politics, keeping in mind the next General Elections.
In the last three days, several top US diplomats including US Ambassador David Mulford have met top BJP leaders.
US treasury secretary Henry Paulson is the third top US official to meet Indian politicians.
Prior to Kissinger’s meet with Advani, a delegation of leading American supporters of nuclear deal met party president Rajnath Singh.
The objective was to ensure that the BJP softens its opposition to the nuclear deal.
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