UNPA heading for a split | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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UNPA heading for a split

PTI | By, New Delhi
Jul 05, 2008 03:33 PM IST

The INLD and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) distance themselves from the Samajwadi Party's move to support the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The UNPA was on Saturday heading for a split with Om Prakash Chautala-led INLD and the Asom Gana Parishad distancing themselves from the Samajwadi Party's decision to support the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

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"Congress has insulted them (SP) earlier...Now for the third consecutive time, they want to be insulted. It is their own thinking," Chautala told reporters in New Delhi.

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Chautala's remarks come a day after the Congress clinched a deal with the SP, a key UNPA constituent, for backing the government in the event of Left parties withdrawing support on the nuclear deal issue.

Upset over SP's decision to go with the Congress, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said all UNPA constituents will take a collective decision whether to retain the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party in it or not.

"The SP should have consulted the UNPA constituents before taking a decision to support the nuclear deal. We will take a collective decision whether to retain or not the SP in the UNPA," AGP president Brindaban Goswami told PTI .

Chautala said that the INLD is the "strongest opposer" of the nuclear deal and was worried "about the fact of becoming a slave of America".

"When the UPA came to power, these people (SP) supported them despite bearing humiliation. They were also running the Government in Uttar Pradesh with the support of the Congress," he said.

The Congress has "insulted them earlier and will insult them once again".

Chautala claimed that the UNPA would remain stable even after SP's exit.

"UNPA has not weakened. We are rock solid. All other allies have talked together and they all have a similar idea. We are against the nuclear deal and oppose Congress. SP's support to nuclear deal is not good either for the party or for the country's interests," he said.

Denying that he had demanded Mulayam's explusion from the alliance, Chautala said, "He (Mulayam) has left on his own. I am deeply shocked at his decision to support Congress.

"Mulayam is a good politician and is rooted to the ground. It is not known who got him to commit the mistake," he said.

Chautala did not hide his displeasure on the SP's "sudden decision" since the UNPA had on July three decided to seek expert opinion on the deal to finalise their position.

He also attached no significance to the endorsement of the deal by former president APJ Abdul Kalam when Yadav and SP general secretary Amar Singh met him on July three.

"Kalam was already a supporter of the deal. So what was the point in consulting him? His name came up in the UNPA meeting, however, I suggested that some renowned scientist should be consulted on the issue. But the SP chose to consult Kalam," he said.

Chautala said the SP chief did not meet him either before or after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. "There has been no talks with Mulayam after the UNPA meeting," he said.

He wondered that how Mulayam decided to support the deal overnight when he was opposing both the deal and the Congress till July three. "May god give him wisdom. Even if he had to go, he could have told us before," he added.

"We will vote against the government. If the government seeks a trust vote, UNPA will vote against it. Similarly if a no-confidence motion is brought by any other party, the UNPA would support it in the same vein," Chautala said.

He said UNPA will do what is in the interest of the country at being asked about the possible alliances. "Any party which opposes the deal and Congress and those who agree with UNPA ideology are welcome. SP has gone with whom it wished to go. Now we will decide whom to go with."

The INLD chief parried questions when asked whether th UNPA would go along with NDA.

TDP, another UNPA constituent, said that the UNPA will continue with the remaining parties. "We will continue as a group with the remaining parties," TDP spokesman and Rajya Sabha member M V Mysoora Reddy told PTI.

Chautala claimed that the nuclear deal would not only lead to the fall of the government but would also mark the end of Congress.

He also claimed that UNPA would form the next government at the Centre.

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