“Should the Government decide to push ahead with the (nuclear) deal, we will not and cannot be a party to go along with it. We will then be left with no option than to withdraw our support to the government,” he wrote in a letter faxed to the PM today as Bardhan was traveling in UP and Bihar.

This is for the first time that any constituent from the Left has come up with such a blunt ultimatum to the Government on the nuclear issue.

It comes a day after CPM mouthpiece People’s Democracy carried a clear warning that the Government would be “mistaken” if it thinks that after getting the IAEA draft, it can go ahead with operationalisation of the deal.

Bardhan also criticised the PM for trying to reach out to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his support. “Your own speech Mr Prime Minister appealing to Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom you have chosen to address the Bhishma Pitamaha of Indian politics, to rise above narrow party interests is an open effort at canvassing BJP ‘s support for the deal.”

Underlining that his party is “greatly disturbed” by some recent statements on the nuclear deal, Bardhan criticised Singh’s effort at building consensus. “Your talk of trying to build a consensus sounds hollow when you are fully aware that no such consensus is possible — a fact revealed in the parliamentary debate itself.”

Asking Singh to give the issue his “serious consideration”, Bardhan took exception to US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher’s statement that the nature of the government, minority or caretaker, will not affect the prospects of the nuclear deal. He alleged that US officials are mounting pressure on the Government to hurry up and sign the nuclear deal and accused the the Government of “buckling under the pressure”.

“We are shocked that such presumptuous statements go unchallenged,” Bardhan wrote, adding that the deal is against “our national interests, our sovereignty and independent foreign policy.”

Bardhan, in the letter, added that it’s not just the nuclear deal but “there are many violations of the common minimum programme which are causing disquiet”. He accused the government of taking the decisions taken at the UPA-Left meeting lightly and added that “public opinion is bewildered at all this.”