CPI general secretary A B Bardhan on Saturday accused the Congress of precipitating the recent crisis on the Indo-US nuclear deal and indicated that the Left parties might withdraw its support to the UPA even before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned from the G-8 summit.

Bardhan and CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat were in Kolkata to attend a meeting. Karat dubbed the nuclear deal as anti-national and said that it would not solve the nation’s energy problems. The Left parties would initiate a nationwide agitation from July 14 on the deal, he said.

Earlier in the morning, the CPI(M) top leadership and Politburo members including Karat, Buddhadeb Bhattacahjree and Biman Bose briefed veteran party leader Jyoti Basu on the party’s plan of action.

Later, Bardhan held a press conference at the CPI office. “We had an understanding that we will not withdraw support while the prime minister is away. But there is a campaign going on against the Left. We have heard what the Congress spokesperson said about the Left parties and our letter. This is sheer arrogance. They did not even bother to give a reply to our letter,” said Bardhan.

“If somebody wants to precipitate a crisis, we might have to withdraw support to the Government before the Prime Minister returns from Japan,” he added. “If the Government fails to meet the deadline (July 7) to come up with an answer, the Left parties will approach the President and ask for a confidence vote in Parliament,” he said.

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