Speaking to rediff.com at his office in New Delhi on Sunday evening, he insisted that the Left parties are not interested in imposing a snap election on the country. "On the India-US nuclear deal all we want is to see that our concerns are addressed. Where are we talking about an election?" he asked.
He felt the Congress is keen on an early election because its leaders are upbeat about last week's television surveys that revealed that the party would win 185 Lok Sabha seats if an election was held now.
N-deal: Bardhan joins issue with Sonia
Political parties are wary of taking the blame for an early election, Bardhan said, adding, "We are not talking about elections. We are waiting for the committee to be formed to discuss the Hyde Act and other issues."
When told that such a committee is likely to be an eyewash because the Hyde Act, the 123 Agreement and India-US relations have already been discussed threadbare within the country, giving the committee little to debate, Bardhan responded, "None of us have given up our claims. But we will give a fair trial to the committee."
Asked if the committee is being formed keeping in mind the Gujarat assembly election, so that the political crisis at the Centre did not impact upon the poll in that state, the irrepressible Left leader asked, "What is wrong in it? In Gujarat we are fighting communalism. Why should this issue get mixed up with that?"
More from rediff