Mukherjee is said to have told his partymen not to join the issue with the Trinamool, whose Tamluk MP Suvendu Adhikary had recently opposed the project in the Lok Sabha and even warned of a Nandigram-type agitation.

Adhikary had unsuccessfully sought time with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who during his recent Russia visit had talked about the proposed nuclear plant at Haripur, saying it would start soon.

On Monday, Adhikary seemed to have toned down. “The issue is not with the Centre. Our fight will be against the state government that has to acquire the land for the project. We will not allow that to happen. I have stated our stand clearly in the Lok Sabha after consultation with our leader Mamata Banerjee,” he said, adding he need not meet the Prime Minister now.

“I wrote to the prime minister regarding our stand and the real picture in Haripur and how it is not possible to set up the nuclear power park there. That is enough. I am sure he will understand,” Adhikary said.

The Congress, while it maintained it wanted the nuclear plant in Bengal, said it would not press the issue lest it benefits the CPM. “Our stand is clear; we want the nuclear power plant in Bengal. But we have decided there is no point raising the issue against the Trinamool Congress and give advantage to CPM in the state. The state government has to acquire the land first and they should think of the locals,” said senior state Congress leader.