It is not "U-turn," says Cong on nuke deal

New Delhi, Oct 12 (UNI) The Congress today refuted the BJP allegation of taking "U-turn" in its stand on Indo-US nuclear deal, saying it was "as much committed to good governance as to coalition dharma''.

"We are also as much committed to energy to India as to harmony in our ruling coalition," AICC Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons, a few hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi ruled out mid-term poll on the nuke deal.

Dr Singhvi also dismissed the suggestion that Dr Singh and Ms Gandhi had different perceptions about the implementation of the nuke deal. "Your perception about the differing perception is a wrong perception," he told the questioner.

He said there was no "rethink" in the Congress with regard to the nuke deal nor was there any change in its stand. "Our stand is the same...Our stand is that all forms of energy are good for India." Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders feel that the views expressed by Ms Gandhi and Dr Singh on the nuke deal at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit reflected that there was a significant change of emphasis in tandem today. "There is definitely change in emphasis in favour of the Left and not by the Left." "The possibility of no election has been talked about at the highest level in the party,'' he added.

"If you die and if you don't become a martyr, then why should you die?" a senior Congress leader asked, saying that what the Congress Party would gain if the government fell on the issue without the Left support. In such an event, the government could not also see the deal through.

"Suddenly there is a greater feeling of accommodation. It is a good sign that there will not be a forced election on the nuke deal," another senior party leader said.

UNI