The winter session of Parliament beginning Thursday will see sparks fly with a range of issues from Nandigram violence and the stalled India-United States nuclear agreement to problems faced by farmers and wheat imports providing the ammunition for rival parties.

The Nandigram issue is expected to make the three-week session of Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha a stormy affair and may push the nuclear deal to the back seat amid signs of a thaw between the United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front.

The Left parties, especially the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which provides outside support to the UPA government, may find itself cornered on the Nandigram issue with the Bharatiya Janata Party keeping its powder dry.

An indication to this effect was given on Tuesday by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani who has dubbed the violence in the Left-ruled West Bengal as shocking.

The saffron party and critics of the Left parties are also expected to cash in on West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi's remarks that the Nandigram area resembled a 'war zone'.

The nuclear deal, which paralysed proceedings during the monsoon session, may not generate that much heat and a move is afoot for a discussion on the issue at the beginning of the session.

"A discussion on the nuclear deal is important, but no less imortant is a discussion on Nandigram and the plight of the farmers there," said Advani, who led a National Democratic Alliance delegation to Nandigram on Wednesday.

The government is expected to be pilloried by the Opposition over problems faced by farmers including that of minimum support prices for paddy and wheat imports as well as rising prices which was burdening the common man.

The Left parties have hinted that they are agitated over the rising prices and the Third Front is planning to make a common cause with them in the matter

DMK supremo M Karunanidhi eulogising an LTTE leader, who was killed in an encounter, is also expected to be raised in the Parliament. It has already generated a controversy with the Congress distancing itself from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa making a big issue out of it.

The developments in Pakistan, Myanmar and other neighbouring countries were also expected to come up.

Certain decisions by Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati are expected to be targeted by the Samajwadi Party.