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New Delhi: Even as the Samajwadi Party has distanced from the Left on the nuclear issue and CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat continues to threaten the Centre of dire consequence if it went ahead operationalising the India-US civilian nuclear deal, his CPI counterpart, AB Bardhan, offered some consolation to the Manmohan Singh government, that the Left will not topple his government even if it went ahead with the deal.

In an interview to a private television channel, the CPI chief said if the government signed the agreement, the Left would withdraw support but “will not move a vote of no confidence against the government”.

But there was no immediate endorsement of Bardhan’s stand by big brother CPI(M).

While politburo member Sitaram Yechury was evasive, another hardline politburo member said the CPI(M) could move a no trust motion against the government.

CPI(M) sources, however, did not attach much significance to Bardhan’s take of not toppling the government saying that in any case the government is on its last leg.

Even if the Left withdraws support, say sometime in July, the government could continue till the next general elections.

“Bardhan’s stand does not make sense now. Our feedback from the government is it has decided to put the deal in the freezer, so there is no need to talk about vote of no confidence,” said a CPI(M) leader.

Left sources, however, maintained that in the eventuality of withdrawing support, the Left would like to see that the government does not fall as it does not want to be seen as a villain of wrecking the government. The Left assessment is also that even the BJP may not be keen to see the collapse of the government now as it needs little more time to grease its election machinery.

CPI(M) sources also said that nuclear issue is not an aam admi issue and hence withdrawing support on this issue may not bring electoral dividends to the party.

The Left would have to look for some economic issues, they said adding that the only advantage of pulling out of the Congress-led government at this juncture is that the Left would not inherit the anti-incumbency of the UPA.

Source : DNA