A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dared the Left to withdraw support to the government over the Indo-US nuclear deal, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat hit back, saying the Congress should be asked “if it wants to run this government”.

Addressing the media here, Karat fended off queries on whether the Left had thought of going beyond sabre-rattling by considering withdrawal of support to the UPA government as an option. “This government is run on our support. But why do you keep asking us if we would withdraw support? Why don’t you ask the Congress if it wants to run this government?”.

Karat refused to discuss the possible course the Left would take in Parliament. “What we are going to do in Parliament will be decided soon,” he said, when he was asked if the Left would end up voting jointly with the BJP against the government on the issue.

“We are aware that the Prime Minister is very sensitive about his government’s relations with the US, but this is a matter of serious national import,” Karat said, reiterating that the Left would never want the government proceed with the 123 Agreement’s operationalisation.

The UPA should consider the fact that it is running the government with the support of the Left, Karat said, adding the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the ruling alliance did not say a word about the strategic alliance with the US.

“It is the responsibility of the Congress to see that the government does not take any policy which contradicts with the CMP,” he said.

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