Communist allies of India's ruling coalition are meeting on withdrawing support to the government over a civilian nuclear deal with the US.
The Communists have 59 members in parliament.
They say the deal would give the US undue influence over India's foreign and nuclear policy.
India is under pressure from Washington to sign the deal before the US presidential elections in November.
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The Communists are likely to ask the government when it would move ahead with the deal.
Reports suggest that the Congress party-led coalition would go ahead with the deal.
The deal now needs to be approved by the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which regulates global civilian nuclear trade.
Then it has to be presented to the US Congress for final approval.
Uncertainty
"We will demand [during Friday's meeting] from the government to make it clear when they are going to the IAEA. The fact that they are going is amply clear," Communist Party Of India leader AB Bardhan said.
"There are no two opinions [about the Communists withdrawing support]. Only modalities like timing and writing to the president will have to be decided," he said.
Analysts say the decision to withdraw support could come in the next few days, plunging India into a fresh round of political uncertainty.
Separately, the Congress party is holding talks with the regional Samajwadi Party on Friday to secure its support for the deal to compensate for the loss of its Communist allies.
If the Communists withdraw support, the ruling coalition would be reduced to 226 members in the 543-member parliament, a good 46 seats behind the majority mark of 272.
The Samajwadi Party, which has been a traditional political foe of the Congress, has hinted that its 39 MPs could end up supporting the ruling coalition on the nuclear deal issue.
If that happens, the ruling coalition will mop up the support of 265 MPs - only seven short of a majority.
Analysts say that securing the support another seven members will not be a problem as there are a number of "fence-sitters" from other smaller parties.
'Time running out'
Such an eventuality would help avoid early elections even after the Communists pull the plug on the government, they say.
Meanwhile, a delegation of US legislators visiting India have said that "time is running out for the deal".
"We are hopeful that the processes will move quickly," delegation leader Gary Ackerman said.
Reports say that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is believed to be the architect of the controversial deal, wants to proceed with it before the G8 summit beginning on Monday in Japan.
Under the terms of the controversial deal, India would get access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel.
In return, Delhi would open its civilian nuclear facilities to inspection - but its nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits.
US President George W Bush finalised the nuclear agreement with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005.
It overturned three decades of US policy by allowing the sale of nuclear technology and fuel to India.
With President Bush's second and final term in office drawing to a close and presidential elections set for November, the Bush administration is growing increasingly keen to wrap up the deal.
Many analysts and some within the Bush administration believe a failure to conclude the agreement could create a setback for the current momentum in US-India relations.
(BBC)
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