UNPA parties explore options

By Manish Anand

New Delhi

July 4: After the Samajwadi Party offered its support to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the nuclear deal on Friday, the other constituents of the UNPA have begun exploring the options available to them. The Asom Gan Parishad (AGP) leaders met senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Friday evening, seeking political alliance.

AGP leader Arun Kumar Sharma said four party MPs, along with Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, held a meeting with Ms Swaraj for a future political alliance to defeat the Congress. "We discussed a number of options for a future political alliance to ensure that the anti-Congress vote is not divided. We are not with the SP on their support to the nuclear deal," said Mr Sharma.

Mr Babul Lal Marandi, MP of the Jharkhand Vikas Manch, which is a constituent of the UNPA, said that the group would not support the deal as was done by the SP. "There is no question of supporting the deal, even if the SP has gone ahead unilaterally on the issue. I spoke to TDP leader N. Chandrabau Naidu after the SP leaders met former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and the UNPA minus the SP remains firm on anti-nuclear deal and anti-Congress stand," said Mr Marandi.

Mr Naidu had categorically told the SP to not to compromise.