Divided opinion on party support to UPA: SP MP

Even as Samajwadi Party on Tuesday promised en bloc support of all its 39 parliamentarians to the UPA on the Indo-US nuclear deal, a party MP on Tuesday hit out against the decision saying he will defy the whip in case of trial of strength in the Lok Sabha and claimed over 10 of his colleagues are also against the pact.

"Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav should have taken his MPs into confidence but he chose otherwise following which I boycotted today's meeting in New Delhi," Mohanlalganj MP Jai Prakash Rawat told reporters in Lucknow.

Claiming about 12 MPs, including some who attended Tuesday's meeting, were also against the nuclear deal, Rawat said in case of trial of strength he would defy party whip.

"Though several MPs are in touch with each other over the issue I can speak for myself and I will defy the whip," Rawat said.

Last week party MP from Muzaffarnagar Munawwar Hasan had come out openly against the deal and echoed similar views.

Stressing he would oppose the party decision within the organisation in a democratic manner, he said as of now he had no plans of quitting the party. He, however, did not rule out the possibility of revolt in the party over the issue.

"The party leadership should have convened a meeting of MPs and apprised them of the details," he said.

Claiming more voices of dissent would emerge in the SP soon, he said as the nuclear deal is against national interest he would continue his opposition at every level.

"America is trying to sell its junk to India through this deal and SP general secretary Amar Singh had visited the USA before the finalisation of the deal with Congress and this raise certain doubts," said Rawat, four-time MP from Hardoi and Mohanlalganj, had been in the Loktantrick Congress Party which had earlier merged with SP.