Leftist party may withdraw support for India's government over US nuclear deal

New Delhi: India's main communist party threatened to withdraw support for the government over a rift concerning a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M) is one of the main parties that supports the ruling coalition, said it will halt its support if Singh moves ahead with the deal they believe will make India a pawn for Washington.

The threat comes as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a trip to a G8 summit in July next week.

The four leftist parties that support the government will meet on Friday to further discuss Singh's visit.

"He had said he would only go (to the summit) if he gets clearance to go ahead with the nuclear deal," Prakash Karat, the head of the CPI (M), told the Hindustan Times on Tuesday.

"His going to Japan is an indication that they (the government) are going ahead with the deal. We are therefore discussing the timing of the withdrawal."