Singh will go to Japan as PM of majority government : Congress

Nw Delhi, Jul 2 (UNI) Asserting that Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to G-8 Summit meeting has nothing to do with the Indo-US Nuclear deal, the Congress today hoped that he would go to Japan as the Prime Minister of a majority government.

AICC Spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan also exuded confidence that the UPA government would have numbers to ensure the survival of the government (in the event of the Left withdrawing support).

She, however, refused to elaborate on how the government would muster required support. "It is wrong to reveal our strategy until the situation unfolds,"she said.

Asked if the Congress anticipated the Left Parties to pull the plug before the Prime Minister's Japan visit, she said, "We stand committed to the deal. We will continue to convince all the stake holders, including those who give us support from outside, and bring them on board." Ms Natarajan refused to give any details regarding the continuing talks with the Samajwadi Party to enlist the support of its 39 MPs, saying that "there is a dialogue. Dialogues happen in democracy. Let us wait." Asked if the Congress was in favour of the government going to the IAEA for final negotiations, she said "Whatever is within the timeframe, has to be done." She differed with the suggestion that the Prime Minister going to the G-8 summit was a clear signal that the government was going ahead with the deal.

In this context, Ms Natarajan said. "India is a special invitee to the G-8 summit. The Prime Minister is attending the summit as part of our international obligation to the comity of nations. The visit has abolutely no connection with the deal." Referring to the nation-wide bandh call given by the VHP for tomorrow on the Amarnath land issue, she said it was unfortunate that the main opposition party was making efforts to communalise the situation and exploit it for its narrow political end.

She said Amarnath Yatra had been going on for centuries in an atmosphere of peace. "No section of the society is against the yatra The state government has already taken the responsibility for the logistics of the yatra. The BJP is creating a communally charged situation purely for political expediency." Ms Natarajan called upon the BJP to stop its 'divisive agenda" in the interests of the nation.

UNI SH LPB VC1830