With regrets, Sonia says thank you, Left

Expressing “regret” over the Left’s decision to withdraw support, she said she had “no doubt” over winning the trust vote in the Lok Sabha during the special session called on July 21-22. The dates of the two-day session, first reported in The Indian Express, were confirmed by the Cabinet Committee on Parliament Affairs today, just days after the IAEA circulated the draft agreement to the Board of Governors.

“I wish also to thank the Left parties who have been with us during these last four years. Without their support, the UPA could not have been formed and a good deal of what we have achieved would not have been possible,” said Sonia in her opening remarks at the UPA Coordination Committee meeting this morning.

Before the Left parties withdrew support, the Prime Minister had said he would not operationalise the agreement without taking Parliament into confidence. “We stand by that pledge,” she said adding, “I have no doubt that we shall prove our majority and work earnestly to fulfil our remaining agenda.”

Sonia’s remarks meant to salve the Left’s wounds found an echo in UPA allies who were quick to underline them. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said the Left were not “enemies.” “Will they vote for L K Advani after the next elections? We are natural allies,” he said.

At today’s meeting of the UPA, the ruling coalition partners affirmed support to the government’s stance on the nuclear deal.

Amid speculation about the stance of JMM chief Shibu Soren — who has been sulking for not being re-inducted in the Union Cabinet — on the nuclear deal, the party sent MP Hemlal Murmu to represent it at the UPA meeting.

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan is away in London. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also did not attend the meeting as he was said to be attending to some family matters in Hyderabad.

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