Jaswant: BJP planned ’96 N-tests

New Delhi, May 15: The BJP had planned to conduct nuclear tests during its first shot at power in 1996 but it could not materialise, senior leader Jaswant Singh has said.

"When we came to power for 13 days, even then we wanted to do nuclear tests, but scientists advised us that it would be better if it was done after the confidence vote," the former external affairs minister said.

In an interview to Hindi magazine Outlook Saptahik, he downplayed former national security advisor Brajesh Mishra’s change of stance on the Indo-US nuclear deal and seeking to give credit to Rajiv Gandhi for the 1998 tests.

"Mr Mishra has performed a very important role in the NDA government. If he has changed his views, then he has every right to do so," he said.

Mr Singh also noted that every Prime Minister had a contribution in the country’s atomic programme and Atal Behari Vajpayee understood the need of the hour and went ahead with the tests. The Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha also spoke about the Kandahar hijacking episode. He was asked whether BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate L.K. Advani was running the show in the party although Rajnath Singh was its president. "That is not true. It is a wrong notion that Mr Advani is running the party. I know how considerate Mr Advani is towards Mr Rajnath and his views. Whatever Rajnath says is accepted," Mr Singh said. (PTI)

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CPI renews its threat to UPA

New Delhi, May 15: The CPI has renewed its threat to withdraw support if the government moved ahead on the Indo-US nuclear deal, prior to the UPA-Left meet on the issue, reports our special correspondent.

"They will have to do it without us," party general secretary A.B. Bardhan said when asked what the Left would do if the government ignored their objections and went ahead on the deal.

Asked whether the Left would move a no-confidence motion against the government in that case, he said: "It means nothing of that sort."