With UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi expected to return from her South Africa tour late on Friday, the Congress has decided to play the waiting game in its tussle with the Left on the 123 Agreement.
With the dates for the debate on the issue in both Houses not yet decided by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman, and with CPI-M’s Central Committee meeting in the capital to spell out its final view, the ruling party seems to be only too happy to buy time, even as back channel negotiations are being carried out by senior party leaders to mollify the Left.
While the CPI-M Central Committee will take a view on Thursday, the CPI’s national executive on August 28 and 29 will also be viewed with keen interest by the Congress. The party would unravel its gameplan after the Left unveils its cards in the final form.
Senior Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Ahmed Patel and P R Dasmunsi are carrying on the informal discussions with a cross-section of Left leaders, even as some party leaders like Kapil Sibal have been entrusted with the task of preparing the Congress offensive against Left in case the outside allies decide to pull the rug.
Highly placed party sources said that the party was ready for any eventuality but was confident that the UPA government would survive, even if as a minority government, in case the Left decides to downgrade its relationship to one of extending “issue-based” support.
However, the party gameplan would be given shape only after Sonia is back in Delhi, they said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi also indicated that the Congress was keen on buying time till the parliamentary debate, which the party has already said would be used by the government to reply to all the Left and Opposition concerns.
Dasmunsi, asked about whether the government was going slow in deciding the debate dates, said that the dates would be decided by the Speaker and the Chairman, but added, “We have the fundamental right to apply our mind.
Clear all doubts
The government may take a day or a week to clear the doubts, but we will clear all doubts of all concerned.” “We are ready to respectfully address their (Left) concerns and we will come out victorious,” he said. The parliamentary debate is not expected to take place before August 29, when the two Houses would reassemble after a four-day break.
Government sources, meanwhile, indicated that nominated Rajya Sabha member and eminent scientist K Kasturirangan would be among the prominent MPs to speak in favour of the agreement in the debate, explaining its finer points and highlighting its benefits for India.