With a clear message that the United Progressive Alliance government should not proceed with the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist top brass began a two-day meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The meet takes place amid signals that the government is in no mood to heed its ultimatum on the contentious issue.

The central committee meeting is expected to take tough decisions amid apprehensions of a mid-term election.

The party will review the chain of events on the controversial agreement with the US and is expected to chart a strategy to deal with the situation. The meeting comes at a time when the Congress has indicated that the government will go ahead with negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Association in September.

CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat warned the Congress that it would face "serious consequences" if it went ahead with the deal. The party maintains that negotiations with IAEA on the safeguards agreement will bind India in perpetuity.