The Hindu : Front Page : Parliament approval must, says UNPA

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Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007
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Parliament approval must, says UNPA

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) on Tuesday said the government should not operationalise the nuclear deal with the United States without Parliament’s approval. “The deal should be discussed in detail in Parliament and only with its approval the government should proceed further,” UNPA convener N. Chandrababu Naidu said.

At a press conference after a meeting of the UNPA leadership, Mr. Naidu said: “It is a national issue, and not something that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) can decide on its own.”

On the meeting between some UNPA leaders and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat earlier in the day, UNPA spokesman Amar Singh said: “We have supported the Left position on the nuclear deal, and will continue to be with them on the issue. Let there be no doubt about it.”

There was unease among the UPA constituents over the manner in which the Congress was pushing the deal. The Nationalist Congress Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Rashtriya Janata Dal had serious reservations about it. “There is a fear that just like the National Democratic Alliance went out on the ‘feel good’ factor, the UPA will fall on the ‘deal good’ rhetoric,” Mr. Singh said.

Asked whether the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was still part of the UNPA, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh said: “Is she here, what does it look to you?”

However, Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chauthala said he was in constant touch with Ms. Jayalalithaa and had invited her for the meeting. “She could not attend this meeting but she is part of the UNPA till now. If there is any change, it will be no secret and she herself will issue a statement.”

“UNPA future is bright”

Mr. Mulayam Singh said the UNPA’s future was bright as the nation was fed up with the UPA and the NDA brand of politics. He described the alliance as the need of the nation and a possible rallying point for like-minded forces.

However, none of the UNPA leaders elaborated on who these like-minded parties — within and outside UPA/NDA — were. “Nothing can be ruled out in politics” was their common refrain when asked whether any constituent or supporting party of the ruling combine had made overtures to the UNPA.

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