Oppn scuttles n-deal debate in RS, sticks to JPC demand

The NDA calculation is that the Left will have no choice but to block the amendment. “The real battle will ensue then,” sources said.

Meanwhile, the Government remained dismissive of the demand for a JPC on the India-US deal. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “If the BJP wants discussions, if they appoint persons for the purpose, we can discuss and clarify their doubts. But there will be no JPC.”

“Our Government survives with Left support and not NDA support. We will do everything to ensure that our Government survives. The Opposition’s job is to oppose, expose and depose, but we have to ensure that our supporters support us,” he added.

BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj on the other hand maintained that “there is nothing categorical” in such matters. “It is a war of nerves,” she said, citing the Government move for a debate in the Rajya Sabha. “They played a trick on us by presenting us with a fait accompli, but we foiled it. We believe the Government will concede our demand (for JPC) at the end,” she said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi sought to give a new spin to the stalemate. He attributed the opposition persistence with the JPC demand to “advice” from “influential quarters in Chennai”. “They are telling them, please disrupt, please disrupt (both Houses),” he said. When reporters shouted “Nagpur, Nagpur” (RSS headquarters), assuming that he was probably referring to the RSS, a grinning Dasmunsi insisted “Chennai”.

He did not elaborate, but sources disclosed later that the allusion was to AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa, who was “desperately trying to facilitate an early Lok Sabha poll”.