Babulal's JVM (P) to vote against UPA on nuke deal

Ranchi, Jul 8 (UNI) Rift in the UNPA came to the fore today with the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Progressive) deciding to vote against the ruling UPA government in Parliament to protest the Indo-US nuclear deal.

JVM (P) president Babulal Marandi, the lone Parliameterian from the state, told reporters here that he did not support the nuke deal as the government was yet to make public the text of its negotiation with the IAEA on India-specific safeguards agreement.

Mr Marandi, an ally of the Mulayam singh-led UNPA, however, refrained from making any comment on the former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's decision to back the Congress on the deal.

''It is his (Mr Yadav's) personal decision...I have nothing to say, '' the JVM president said.

'' I have taken decision not to support the Congress-led government on the deal which absolutely based on principles, '' he said.

Meanwhile, the Centre told the Left Parties in no ''uncertain terms'' that it could not give the full text of its negotiations with the IAEA on India-specific safeguards agreement to third parties.

UNI PRS SJC SW AS1954