Nuke deal against nation's interest: Naveen

Bhubaneswar, Jul 8 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the Indo-US nuclear deal was against the interest of the nation and made it clear that the Biju Janata Dal(BJD) will not support the UPA government on the issue.

Mr Patnaik said his party disapproved the Indo-US deal right from the beginning adding that under no circumstance the BJD would support the Congress led UPA government.

He said with the withdrawal of support from the Left parties the UPA government has become unstable and need the support of the smaller parties to prove its majority.

Asked whether his party was prepared to face the elections, the Chief Minister quipped ''we are ready to go to poll any time''.

Mr Patnaik justified the government's decision to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to people living below poverty line in the state from next month stating that this has been done to provide relief to them from the rising prices of essential commodities.

He said the state government was economically developed to take up various social welfare measures and anti-poverty programmes for the needy.

UNI DP KK Mir BD2112