N-deal & polls are two separate issues: Karat

NEW DELHI: : The CPI(M) on Sunday expressed the confidence that the UPA government would complete its full five-year term and that by Monday, it would know the exact date for the next UPA-Left coordination panel’s meet to discuss the outcome of the talks of the Indian officials on the nuke deal with the IAEA.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said after the conclusion of the party central committee’s three-day meeting that the nuclear deal and the elections are two separate issues.

Karat was asked whether it meant that there was no immediate threat to the UPA government as is made out in a section of the media and the political circles. “We are not in that tearing hurry as is the US,” Karat said, adding that while the Indian officials took about 4-5 months to complete the talks, the UPA- Left panel could also take “two to three months.”

While party leader Sitaram Yechury said the Left wanted the government not to hurry up and operationalise the deal and devote one year time to further isolate the communal forces and provide relief to the aam aadmi, another leader Nilotpal Basu said external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee’s views in this regard appear to be correct. The minister has said on record that he did not see early  elections as the partners in the government were not ready for the same.