Arati R Jerath

New Delhi: The nuclear story is inching forward with a hectic effort underway to prepare the stage for a debate in the winter session of parliament, which begins on November 15.

The debate is being pitched as the vehicle for a resolution of the standoff that has blocked the Indo-US nuclear deal and put the Manmohan Singh government on notice.

In the latest issue of its party organ, People’s Democracy, the CPI(M) made a strong plea for parliament to be the arbiter.

“Let a majority in parliament decide if the deal is acceptable or not. This is the only way to end the impasse.”

Ironically, the prime movers in the effort to bring about a debate are on opposite sides in the controversy. CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat and US envoy to India, David Mulford, have set political circles on fire with an unprecedented flurry of activity.

Karat has already had several rounds of meetings with parties of the United Progressive Alliance and flew down to Chennai for talks with DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Monday.

Mulford is running on a parallel track with the BJP. He has met LK Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh and Vajpayee's former aide,Brajesh Mishra, in quick succession and facilitated a meeting between Advani and Henry Kissinger.

Karat and Mulford obviously have different takes on the nuclear deal but both have an interest in getting a debate going in Parliament in the hope of melting the nuclear freeze. Their combined efforts could work in the government's favour if a political understanding emerges in the course of the discussion to allow the next steps to be taken with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the NSG.

With the Congress disinclined to broach the nuclear issue with the BJP, Mulford is lobbying hard to get the party on board. According to a diplomatic source, he has tried to impress on the leadership that the nuclear deal was a culmination of a foreign policy shift started by the Vajpayee government.

Kissinger made the same point to Advani, pointing out the deal represents a realisation of the BJP's foreign policy goals.

The American tough talk has not cut much ice with the BJP as yet and the pressure tactics prompted Advani to refuse a meeting with US treasury secretary Henry Paulson, considered one of the most influential persons in the Bush Administration.

He was despatched by Washington to India on a three-day visit as a lastditch effort to rescue the deal. While he could not meet Advani, Paulson did meet West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, after which he issued a press statement describing the talks as "positive".

Sources in the parties with which Karat has been interacting said that the CPI(M) general secretary was interested in garnering their support for a debate in Parliament.

Both the SP and TDP assured him that they will go along with the Left line.

Source : DNA