NEW DELHI, Oct 7: India appeared to have caught up with Pakistan in competitive electoral turbulence on Sunday after words were exchanged between Congress Party chief Sonia Gandhi and her main Left Front allies over a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, increasing the chances of a mid-term poll.

Ms Gandhi, who addressed a farmers’ rally at the inauguration of a power station in Haryana state, likened her political opponents to enemies of development.

“We must understand that such elements are not only the enemies of Congress but they are also enemies of progress and development. We have to give them a strong and befitting reply”, she told the meeting at Jharli village.Ms Gandhi had so far refrained from criticising those opposed to the deal.

“We are trying at every level to meet our energy needs. That is why there is a proposal for nuclear agreement with America,” she said.

Analysts likened Ms Gandhi’s words to an election bugle. Earlier last week Railway Minister Lalu Yadav had said the UPA government was preparing its next budget usually due in February. The budget is expected to reflect some populist measures, like rural employment guarantee scheme, proposed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to be extended throughout the country.

Taking strong exception to Ms Gandhi’s comments, senior Left leaders said the Congress was forcing elections on the country and that Left has no choice but to pull out of the government.

Communist Party of India’s chief A.B. Bardhan said the Left was prepared for the eventuality of a mid-term poll.

“Congress is trying to precipitate the election and they are simply imposing the election on people. If that is the case we are ready for it. It is the Congress which will be responsible if the government falls and an election is imposed on the country,” he said.

However, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat declined to give an immediate reaction. CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that the October 9 and 15 meetings of the Left-UPA panel would make it clear whether the country was heading for mid-term poll.