UNPA will meet soon to discuss nuke deal: Mulayam

Samajwadi Party's role, with 39 MPs, could be crucial in trial of strength in LS in case Left parties withdraw support to UPA.

Samajwadi Party, whose role could be crucial in a trial of strength in the Lok Sabha in case Left parties withdraw support to the UPA government at the Centre, on Monday kept its cards close to the chest on its stand saying a meeting of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) will be convened soon to discuss the nuclear deal issue.

“We are in touch with leaders of UNPA allies and a date will be fixed soon according to the convenience of all including SP general secretary Amar Singh who is currently on a foreign tour,” SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

Asked about some Left leaders saying that SP cannot go along with the ruling UPA at the Centre over the nuclear deal issue as it would go against its Muslim vote bank, he said he “would not go by what others are saying and would consult his UNPA partners on the issue”.

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Mulayam, however, was categorical that he has never had any differences with the Left parties in the past and would not have it in future as well.

With 39 MPs, SP’s stand on the nuclear deal issue assumes significance especially in the event of BSP (with 17 MPs) withdrawing support to the UPA government, which is at present facing a tight situation following the stern view adopted by the Left parties on the issue.

There have also been reports of both SP and Congress softening their stance towards each other in the recent past with indications being they could enter into some kind of understanding for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, especially to check BSP’s march.

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