External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday decided to delay his departure to Australia on Saturday by a few hours, apparently because of hectic political activity on the Indo-US nuclear deal issue.

Mukherjee, who was to leave for Australia on a bilateral visit on Saturday morning, will now depart at night, sources said.

The government's pointsman on the nuclear deal, Mukherjee is engaged in hectic consultations with Left parties as well as United Progressive Alliance allies to resolve the standoff over the issue.