JD (S) chooses to play safe on its support to UPA

New Delhi, Jul 8 (UNI) The two-member Janata Dal (Secular) today chose to play its cards close to its chest by not revealing if they would support the UPA coalition in the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha after the Left parties announced their decision to withdraw their outside support to the Manmohan Singh-led government.

JD (S) President and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda was asked when if his party would support the UPA, he said there was lot of time and his was a ''chota party''. ''It would take appropriate decision and steps at appropriate time.'' However, JD (S) Secretary General K Danish Ali said his party was against the Indo-US nuclear deal as it went against independence of India's foreign policy.

The party, technically, has three MPs -- Mr Gowda, M Shivanna from Karnataka and officially, party Parliamentary Party leader is Mr M P Veerendra Kumar, an MP from Kerala. He has, however, been suspended from the party after he broke away from the party to form his own political outfit and will have to go by party's directive, party sources said.

He may not flout the directive if the JD (S) takes an anti- nuclear deal stance, sources said.

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