Prior to the debate in Parliament, the government will have another chance on November 16 — at the UPA-Left meeting —to assuage Left concerns and obtain limited consent to proceed with the IAEA safeguards talks.

In Congress circles, hopes on the Left are fading and the party is gearing for polls anytime after March next.

According to highly placed sources, diplomatic efforts are also on to ensure that the delay over the deal can be made up and the original timeline, leading up to placing the agreement before the US Congress early next year, could still be maintained.

“No matter who signs the 123 Agreement — UPA or the next regime — we will have done our part to fulfil our international commitment by taking the next step towards operationalisation of the deal,” said a top Congress source.

While the government has this blueprint in place, it is still trying hard to persuade the Left. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee held a meeting with CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury last evening and is leant to have conveyed that the government was running out of time on approaching the IAEA. But the Left has not budged from its position as it views this as the only chance to prevent operationalisation of the deal.

The government is keen that the UPA-Left mechanism finalises its findings on November 16 which can then be “taken into account” before operationalisation of the nuclear deal.

According to Congress sources, the Left was “aware” of the government’s constraints on delaying matters any further as well as its intention to approach the IAEA after the debate in Parliament. The Left parties are, therefore, working on UPA constituents like the DMK, RJD and NCP to apply fresh pressure on the government not to go ahead with the deal.

... contd.