NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday played down the threat by a key left-wing ally to withdraw support and said his government would go ahead with its civilian nuclear agreement with the United States, news reports said.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had warned Singh’s minority government Sunday that it would withdraw its support in Parliament in concert with other left parties if Singh went ahead with the “harmful agreement, which has no majority support in Parliament.”
Under the civilian nuclear agreement, the US has promised to provide India with access to nuclear technology and fuel in exchange for international safeguards on India’s civilian nuclear reactors. Singh maintains the deal would help India meet its ever-increasing energy needs. The 59 lawmakers of the Left parties, led by the CPI-M, provide crucial support to Singh’s minority United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has said it would pass a no-confidence motion against the government if the Left parties withdrew support.
This could lead to a snap election. The UPA government is due to end its five-year term in May 2009. The renewed threat by the Left comes at a time when Singh’s government is grappling with spiraling inflation and rising prices of essential food items, which would certainly have an adverse impact on its electoral prospects.
“The Politburo reiterates its firm opposition to the 123 Agreement which does not provide for full civilian cooperation; does not meet the needs of energy security and which will severely undermine the country’s independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy by cementing a strategic alliance with the US,” CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat said at a press briefing on Sunday.
