A key regional party in India said today that a controversial nuclear energy deal with the United States was in the interest of the nation, easing concerns the pact could trigger early elections.
Support from the Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to help the Congress Party-led government secure a parliamentary majority if communist parties carry out their threat to withdraw support in protest at the nuclear deal.
"We will not vote against the government, even if the communists and other parties do," Amar Singh, the SP general secretary, said in New Delhi.
"The deal is in the interest of the nation, we should have come out in support of the deal a year ago," he added.
The Samajwadi Party has 39 seats in parliament, compared with 59 for the communist parties. The Congress-led ruling coalition needs the support of 44 lawmakers to reach a majority. It would try to win the other five seats from smaller parties.
The left parties object to the nuclear deal, saying the nuclear pact will make India a pawn of Washington.
The pact will give India access to US nuclear fuel and technology, and is potentially worth billions of dollars to US and European nuclear supplier companies. It will also give India more energy alternatives to drive its development, shifting trade and diplomatic ties towards the West.