Lalu Yadav meets Sonia Gandhi

The meeting came in the backdrop of reports that the Railway Minister was in touch with the SP for backing the UPA in case the Left parties withdraw support.

As the stand-off over the Indo-US nuclear deal between the Left parties and the government continued, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.

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Prasad refused to talk to journalists waiting outside Gandhi's residence after the short meeting.

The meeting came in the backdrop of reports that the Railway Minister was in touch with the Samajwadi Party for backing the UPA in case the Left parties withdrew support to the government in the event of forward movement on the nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, senior SP leader Amar Singh met CPI (M) leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury to explain his party's position on the prevailing political crisis.

The SP's 39 Members of Parliament can play a crucial role in saving the government in the Lok Sabha in case the Left executes its threat.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday assured the Left parties that he would come back to Parliament before operationalising the deal.

But this would be after the government completed all the necessary processes like getting IAEA's approval on the safeguards agreement, a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group and an endorsement of the deal from the US Congress.