Almost a month after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had dared the Left to withdraw support over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the UPA Government today gave in to Left pressure and agreed to go slow on its operationalisation. It “deferred” its plan to make a “formal request” to the International Atomic Energy Agency to discuss India-specific safeguards. .

The turnaround on the part of the Government came a day after CPM leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi asking her to take a “political decision” and delay the operationalisation of the deal adding that, otherwise, the Left would be forced to withdraw support.

As per the understanding reached between the two sides at a two-hour meeting of the UPA-Left committee today, neither will go public about the decision to go slow to avoid any “public, acrimonious debate.” Accordingly, Left leaders did not go beyond saying that the Government would not hold any talks with the IAEA until October 22 when the committee is scheduled to meet again. The Left has also asked the UPA to explain the impact of the deal on the country’s foreign policy.

According to UPA sources, the turnaround happened because nobody wanted to foist mid-term polls on the country. “Delaying does not mean killing the deal. The nuclear deal is on. What we are concerned about is nuclear reactors and fuel, not about micro details like the process or timing to achieve it,” a senior Congress leader tried to put up a brave face. Adding that “informal talks” with the IAEA would go on.

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