PTI

KOLKATA, Jul 7: Left parties would submit their letter withdrawing support to the UPA government by July 10 over the nuclear deal to President Pratibha Patil, after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returns from Japan, Forward Bloc General Secretary Debabrata Biswas said on Monday.

Biswas, a Rajya Sabha member said "This is the unanimous decision of the four Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc.

"The Congress-led UPA Government is committed to the US on the 123 Agreement surrendering national interest and sovereignty. The decision to withdraw support is unchanged," he said.

Biswas who spoke to CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat over telephone during the day, said the decision of the withdrawal of support would be irrespective of the reply from External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to the letter of the left parties.

He said, "Mukherjee might propose another meeting, but that will not change our decision."

Besides the issue of nuclear deal, the letter would also highlight rising prices and inflation as the reasons for the withdrawal of the support.

He said the four left parties would meet tomorrow to take stock of the situation and find a "political alternative".

"The Prime Minister has linked his Japan trip with the 123 Agreement with USA. We are responsible political parties and will do what is to be done after he returns," Biswas said.

The Forward Bloc general secretary said after withdrawal of support, the government would lose 'political morality' to remain in power since it was formed due to the crucial outside support by the Left parties since 2004.

"The UPA government should go for fresh mandate after our withdrawal of support," he said.

He said some UPA allies like RJD and also the Samajwadi Party might be afraid of going for election now, "but the Left parties are prepared to face the electorate."

He said there were no differences among the Left parties over the timing of the withdrawal of support to the government as reported in a section of the press.

"Sooner is better. This is the opinion of the four left parties regarding the withdrawal of support," he said.

Biswas said though the nuclear issue was the 'flash point' behind the withdrawal of the support move by the Left, several drawbacks and failures of UPA, including rising prices and inflation, surrendering of national interest, and unkept promises on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), were also the contributory factors.