While the Congress sought to keep alive hopes on the deal, other UPA constituents looked at ways to avoid mid-term polls over the issue.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar asked the Left to look at this issue “from the overall perspective”, stressing on the need to take a “practical decision” since “we will need each other even in the future”.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said that nobody wanted elections and, therefore, all possible steps should be taken to avoid such a situation.

At the meeting today, the UPA reiterated its offer to hold a special session of Parliament to discuss the deal, provided the Left persuaded the BJP to allow discussion. There was also talk of advancing the winter session of Parliament in view of the Gujarat elections, but no decision was taken.

After more than two hours of deliberations, Mukherjee emerged to read out a statement: “The members of the committee expressed the hope that the issues currently before it would be addressed in an appropriate manner and the operationalisation of the deal will take into account the committee’s findings.

The discussions covered the implications of the proposed Indo-US bilateral agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, including the implications of the Hyde Act on India’s nuclear programme and its pursuit of independent foreign policy. The Committee had before it further information provided by Left parties. The UPA will reply to them in due course.”

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the process of consultations will go on. “There is no deadline or time limit. We hope it will fructify at some point of time, at some stage,” he said.