Basu favours compromise to end nuclear deadlock

KOLKATA: Amidst continuing deadlock over Indo-US nuclear deal, veteran CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu on Monday struck a conciliatory note, saying he did not favour a snap poll unless 'forced' by Congress and asked his party leadership to see if it was possible to work out a compromise.

Referring to his meeting yesterday with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Basu said that 'after the meeting I spoke to Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechuri. Pranab has something to say. I have asked them to listen to what Pranab has to say and to see if it is possible to work out a compromise and if we can work together for some more time.'

Basu said, "He (Mukherjee) expressed his desire that it (UPA-Left committee on nuclear deal) does not break up. But how it will be possible, I do not know."

On Congress President's Sonia Gandhi's attack on the opponents of the nuclear deal, which was perceived to be against Left parties, Basu said "Sonia had made a good speech in New York. I don't know why she has changed her tone now."

"She is now talking of elections and collapse of the government. If elections are forced on us, we are ready for it," Basu said.

However, the CPI-M partriarch said he did not favour elections at the moment.

''I believe we should jointly work for at least sometime now that the communal forces are regrouping in some places and gearing up in other states," he said.

"We are hoping whether we (the Left and the UPA) can stay together for some more time. But we are ready if there are elections. What they (the Centre) will do I do not know", he said.

"It is not wise to go for polls," he said.

"Pranab told me that the government would go to the IAEA and explain the concerns raised by the partners (the Left parties). This is not final. I do not know whether my party would accept it", Basu said.

The CPI(M) has already raised its strong objections over the government planning to go IAEA to discuss nuclear safeguards as a step to operationalise the deal.

The veteran Marxist said the politburo would formulate the party's next step with regard to nuclear deal.

However, he said he would not be able to make it at the politburo which will meet on October 18 due to health reasons.