Allies support PM, no threat to Govt: Dasmunsi

New Delhi, Jun 21: "Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President is as committed to Indo-US nuclear deal as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party will not let him down on the issue", said the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Friday, June 20.

He asserted that the UPA allies were firmly backing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of the Indo-US nuclear deal and the government will complete its full term. Dasmunsi felt that the government would finally be able to pursue the Left parties too to give up their opposition to the move. 'The deal was very important for the energy security of the country,'' he said during a TV programme of the CNN-IBN channel.

He said there were no differences of opinion between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia over the issue, and she fully supported what the Prime Minister had told Parliament, though there have been attempt to create differences between the two.

The Minister felt that the people would ultimately see the benefit of the deal for the country, and would see the futility of the opposition by the Left.

Replying to a question, he said in his view there was no threat to the UPA government as all the allies, whether RJD, NCP or any other, would fully back whatever agreements are needed to be concluded by the government to operationalise the deal.

Dasmunsi's assertions have come in the midst of hardening stand of the Left parties over the issue. They said delinking of the IAEA and NSG talks from the 123 agreement was ''just impossible'' as the negotiations with the international agency is to operationalise the agreement.

Meanwhile, Left parties have threatened to withdraw support from the government if it goes to Vienna to talk to the Board of Directors of the nuclear watchdog to carry forward the deal.

They were also trying to pursue the UPA allies to build pressure on the government to desist from the move.

UNI