The Hindu : National : BJP will vote against deal: Rajnath

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Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008
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BJP will vote against deal: Rajnath

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: If the nuclear deal with the United States were to be placed before Parliament for its approval — although under the Constitution the government had the powers to approve it through an executive decision — the Bharatiya Janata Party would vote against it.

BJP president Rajnath Singh made this clear here during the course of an interview to a television channel. “We will vote against it [the nuclear deal],” he said.

‘Most unfortunate’

Mr. Singh emphasised that the Manmohan Singh government had not consulted the main Opposition party during the course of the negotiations, but met its leaders only after the text of the deal was “frozen.” Mr. Singh described this as “most unfortunate.”

It was for the government and its supporting parties to take a view on what needed to be done or not done. The problem was with the ruling alliance. As for the BJP it would take its own decisions at an appropriate time, he suggested.

Mr. Singh was not very forthright when asked whether his party would move a motion of no-confidence against the government. But he said that the deal sacrificed India’s strategic interests.

The BJP, he said, was not convinced by the government’s assertion that the deal would not come in the way of India continuing to develop its military nuclear programme.

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