'N-deal unlikely to be passed before November'

The landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear deal is unlikely to be approved by the US Congress before its mid-term election in November.

This view was expresed by members of the Congressional Caucus on India during their meeting with visiting Indian members of Parliament.

• Support N-deal

The caucus members felt that the agreement was not discussed but thrust on the legislature, according to sources in the delegation.

The members said lawmakers were not consulted before pushing the deal on the table.

• Indo-US nuke tango 

"It is like a bride in the room without the consent of the groom," they said.

"It is an issue whose time will come and keep in mind if the majority changes, we have different chairs and we will make it sure that the deal gets through," the members told the delegation.

"Anything is possible and nothing is a problem," they said adding, a lot of groundwork has to be done to get the deal approved.

The members at the meeting were Co-Chairs Gary Ackerman, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lithenen and Congress members Joe Wilson and Jim McDermatt.