Choose between N-deal or government, Left to UPA

With President Pratibha Patil expressing hope that the Indo-US deal would go through, the Left parties on Monday again warned the United Progressive Alliance that it would have to choose between the "agreement or the government".

"The government will have to suffer if they breach the commitment" of not going ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal, senior Communist Party of India-Marxist leader M K Pandhe told reporters in Delhi during the two-day party politburo meeting, which began on Monday.

CPI national secretary D Raja said the Left parties' stand on the matter remained the same.

"We are firm on our opposition to the deal. It is for the government to decide," he said.

Raja claimed that Patil's comments on the nuclear deal was not the view of the Parliament on the issue.

The Revolutionary Socialist Party also echoed similar views with its newly elected general secretary T J Chandrachoodan noting that the UPA will have to "decide between the deal or government".

"The recent national conference (of RSP) has decided to persuade other Left parties to withdraw support," he said.

During her maiden address to the joint sitting of the Parliament on the first day of Budget session, Patil said her government hoped that the agreement "becomes possible".