No discussion yet with Cong to fight elections together: Mulayam

New Delhi, Jul 17 (UNI) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has decided against opening his cards on the future relationship with the Congress, especially on plans for a pre-pol, alliance, at this juncture.

The SP leader, who has extended support to the United Progressive Alliance on the Indo-US nuclear deal issue, maintained that so far there had been no talks with the Congress to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls together. ''We extended support to the Congress (on the nuclear deal) to check the growing influence of communal forces,'' he told 'Outlook Saptahik' Hindi weekly.

To a poser on his ties with the Left parties after extending support to the Congress, Mr Yadav said CPM leader Prakash Karat and CPI leader A B Bardhan were his old friends. ''The relations were not formed on any political grounds, nor would they break on similar grounds,'' he added.

While refusing to take responsibility on the disintegration of United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) over the issue of extending support to the Congress, he said the various leaders involved with it had left the alliance. ''The UNPA leaders themselves broke up and left,'' he claimed.

''Om Prakash Chautala had himself suggested the name of former President A P J Abdul Kalam when it was decided to seek the advice of a scientist on the nuclear issue. When Dr Kalam himself suggested that the deal was important for India's strategic interests, then nothing else was left to discuss,'' he said.

The former Defence Minister claimed that his party extended support to Congress only after four of its queries were answered by the National Security Advisor. ''We had placed four questions before the Prime Minister... the NSA clarified that the deal would neither effect the sovereignity of the country nor tamper with the foreign policy.'' The government also clarified to the SP that there would not be hurdles in generating power once the deal was finally implemented.

The SP had also asked a question on Iran and it was answered to its satisfaction, Mr Yadav added.

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