India's Left resigned to only being heard on Iran

The Times of India:

Iran might dominate the proceedings of UPA-Left coordination meeting on November 21 but it seems unlikely that it will achieve anything beyond the two sides reiterating their position. If indications from government end are anything to go by, Left seems in for a big let down.

Since there is a clear thinking that India would vote in favour of the US resolution if voting is resorted to again, where does that leave the Left and its repeated veiled threat that it has the support of more than 100 MPs? READ MORE

Would it rock the UPA boat? On Friday, Left leaders met to finetune their strategy, but they're yet to spell out their options in case government votes again in favour of the US. Asked specifically, a senior Left leader said, "Wait and see what we can do." But others in the Left are more realistic.

Says another Left leader, "Iran is not like BHEL issue, with just two sides. It is too complicated and too much is at stake for government."

He also offers another explanation by giving a sequence of events with larger political implications that is to take place next week, "Bihar poll results will be out on November 22, Parliament commences on November 23 and IAEA meets on November 24.

Each is linked to the other. If RJD-Congress does not form government in Bihar and BJP puts the government on mat for the Volcker report, would it be prudent for Left to rock the boat?"

He says it is this realisation that led the Left to give notice for discussion in Parliament on Iran under Rule 193. There would be no voting, he says.

The Left leader says their protest is not going unheard. According to him, government is using Left's protest to leverage negotiations with US: thus far and no further.

He says there is already a precedent. The Vajpayee government used domestic protest to convince US against sending troops to Iraq.