Jyoti Basu rules out mid-term polls

KOLKATA: Ruling out mid-term elections, veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu on Monday avoided a direct reply on whether his party would withdraw support to the UPA following the standoff with the Centre over the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

"At this stage I cannot say anything before the Central Committee meets, Basu said when asked whether the CPI(M) would withdraw support to the UPA government on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal issue.

He said since the nuclear deal was a major issue, the Central Committee of the party would take a decision when it meets on August 22-23.

"The Politburo has taken a unanimous decision on the political situation on the nuclear deal and relations with America," he said seeking to scotch reports on differences in the party between moderates and hardliners.

He said the party had decided to call the Central Committee meeting as the UPA had 'taken a major decision on the nuclear deal while acting as a lackey of the US'.

He, however, said, "There is no question of mid-term polls".

He also said that the issue would be discussed in Parliament under a provision which did not entail voting.

Basu was speaking to newsmen after an emergency meeting of the party's state secretariat which was convened to take stock of the situation before the Central Committee meeting.

Besides Basu, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Left Front chairman Biman Bose were also present in the meeting.