UNPA attacks N deal; says BJP an ineffective Oppn

New Delhi, Aug 2: Criticising the BJP for 'abdicating the role of an effective Opposition,' Samajwadi Party General Secretray Amar Singh today said the newly launched UNPA was preparing itself to take up that role. Dismissing all differences that surfaced during the voting for presidential elections, Mr Singh also said, ''Alliance this time will vote together.'' The SP leader criticised the 'BJP response' to the nuclear deal with the US and said that the UNPA would make it a main issue in the coming monsoon session of Parliament.

The UNPA strategy for the session and the vice presidential elections will be decided in a meeting to be held here on August nine, he said addressing a press conference here.

Mr Singh said the nuclear deal in its present form was certainly going to affect the country's nuclear sovereignty and national security.

The UPA has turned completely pro-US, and the BJP was only seconding that stance, he said.

The SP leader also came down heavily on the Andhra Pradesh Government for the police firing in Mudigonda which left seven people dead, saying that those killed were innocent people and such incidents under an elected government were striking at the root of democracy.

He called upon the Left parties to pressurise the Centre to dismiss the Rajasekhar Reddy government.

The UNPA and the Samajwadi Party strongly condemn this incident and demand immediate removal of the Rajasekhar Reddy government, said Mr Singh.

Replying to a question, he said the all constituents of the UNPA will vote together in the August 10 vice presidential elections.

It was because of some confusion among the AIADMK MLAs and MPs that they had voted in contravention of the UNPA stance to abstain from voting. The AGP leaders also followed the line taken by the Alliance.

"The coming vice presidential elections will see complete unity among the constituents," he said.

UNI