Anita Saluja/ENS

New Delhi, Jul 1: Having worked out an arrangement with the Samajwadi Party for its support to prove the UPA’s strength in Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to proceed to Japan on July 7 for the G-8 Summit on July 8-9.

A beaming Prime Minister on Monday promised to come to Parliament on the Indo-US nuclear deal, before operationalising it, provided the Government is allowed to complete negotiations with the IAEA for India-specific safeguards agreement and with the NSG for the waiver.

“All that I want is the authority to proceed with the process of negotiations through all stages like the IAEA and the NSG that will not tie down the hands of the country,” he said in reply to questions at his residence. Late on Monday night, SP leader Amar Singh called on Pranab Mukherjee and dropped enough hints that the party was open to taking a fresh look at the nuclear deal.

The PM had refused to go to the G-8 Summit if there was no consensus in the UPA to go ahead with the deal. The PM is likely to lobby for the NSG waiver with the G-8 countries, who happen to be member-countries of the NSG.

Though the Left turned down the deal, the Congress leadership is no longer nervous about the number-game. According to sources, the Congress and its allies have worked out an agreement with the SP. The Congress is also banking on the support of the RJD and a few independents.

As per the deal with the SP, the Congress is likely to reduce the reservation percentage for women in Assemblies and Legislature to around 15 per cent.