Advani had vowed support to N-deal before PM

New Delhi, Jul 19: "L K Advani promised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a secret meeting that the BJP would support the Indo-US Nuclear Deal, but later went back on his promise", said Kapil Sibal in an interview to a private channel. Kapil Sibal also said that the principal secretary to Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he was the prime minister of India, Brajesh Mishra, who was present at the meeting could confirm this.

Sibal told sources, "The fact of the matter is that the Prime Minister was approached and told that if he could convince the BJP leadership that UPA's strategic deterrent is intact, they might consider supporting the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. So, the Prime Minister went across in a meeting with the previous prime minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee, along with LK Advani and Brajesh Mishra and in the course of the conversation, Manmohan Singh demonstrated that not only was the strategic nuclear deterrent in place, but the strategic nuclear deterrent capability had been enhanced, and infact even numbers were broadly suggested."

"And because Brajesh Mishra and Atal Behari Vajpayee knew of these numbers - because they had been in those positions - they were convinced. And at the end of the meeting, LK Advani said he was satisfied and that the NDA was now in a position to support the 123 Agreement. However, he wanted the Prime Minister to send them a letter. At which point in time the Prime Minister went back, sent a letter stating the conversation that had taken place," Sibal added.

"But thereafter uinfortunately, Mr Advani informed the Prime Minister, that he was not able to deliver on his promise, and that the senior leadership of the party was against the deal, and so he couldn't deliver," he further stated.

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