Fernandes demands PM's resignation, does not favour snap poll

New Delhi, Aug 16 (UNI) NDA Convenor George Fernandes today demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his ''continuous bluffing'' on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

''What has emerged is that the Prime Minister of the country has betrayed the nation by continuous bluffing, something unbecoming of the head of the government,'' Mr Fernandes said in a hard-hitting statement.

The NDA leader was, however, against the MPs thinking in terms of going for a snap poll.

''I appeal to all my colleagues in Parliament not to think of next elections and think how it would impinge on their result for them,'' he said.

Dr Singh ''has over the years been keeping with himself what he thought was his big secret -- a secret between himself and Bush which has now come in the open,'' Mr Fernandes said.

He made the statement in the context of Dr Singh's assurance to Parliament on August 13 that the Indo-US nuclear had not taken away India's right to conduct a test and the subsequent US State Department assertion that any such step by New Delhi would kill the agreement.

''What is worse and deserves to be condemned is that on 13th August 2007 he continued to play ABC game with Members of Parliament in his very lengthy speech,'' the JD(U) leader said.

''The Americans chose to make a monkey of our Prime Minister by using the 60th birthday of India to spil the beans and the deals.'' On the demand of some MPs for a debate on the issue, Mr Fernandes said ''this is no subject for a debate. What has emerged is that the Prime Minister of the country has betrayed....After what he has done he has neither the moral nor political right to remain in his position...

''What the Prime Minister has done is to keep the entire country and the Armed Forces to believe that he has done a good job to see that the country is safe with his government.

''No, Mr Prime Minister you have taken the country to the precipice where the nation's security is concerned. The best thing for you is to put in your papers. All that you have succeeded in doing in this matter is to undo what the NDA government did.'' UNI