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Tuesday, Jun 24, 2008
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BJP for strategic ties with U.S.

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party is in favour of “strategic relations” with the United States but is opposed to the nuclear deal with the U.S. because it does not want the country’s right to conduct a nuclear test compromised, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani said here on Monday.

Mr. Advani was speaking on the sidelines of a function where a booklet of the speeches made by Jana Sangh presidents was released by him and BJP president Rajnath Singh here on Monday.

It was the Jana Sangh which declared in the 1960s that it was in favour of the country making a nuclear bomb. If the BJP came to power it would “renegotiate” the deal to ensure that the objectionable Hyde Act would not come into play, he said.

Two days ago BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the United Progressive Alliance government to take a “final call” on the deal.

Informally, senior party leaders are saying that if the nuclear deal were to go through during the UPA regime, any BJP government that might follow “would not rescind” the deal. However, if a BJP-led government were to take power before a deal is finalised with the U.S., it would, as suggested by Mr. Advani, try to “renegotiate” the deal.

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