India's Samajwadi party meeting to discuss US nuclear deal

New Delhi: A group of smaller Indian parties will meet on Thursday to decide whether to support a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.

The United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) includes the regional Samajwadi Party, which the ruling coalition wants to woo amid signs communist parties that currently back the government in parliament will withdraw their support over the nuclear deal.

Leaders of the Samajwadi Party met with National security adviser M.K. Narayanan late on Wednesday, who tried to persuade them to back the deal.

The Samajwadi support is crucial to decide the fate of the government which is facing conflict over the nuclear deal.

If the government fails to secure Samajwadi support and the left withdraws from supporting the coalition, the government will almost certainly face early elections.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), an ally of the ruling coalition and India's second largest left party, will also hold a a meeting on Thursday over the deal.