By IANS,
New Delhi : Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh Monday said there was no change in his party’s stand on the nuclear deal as no leader from the ruling Congress had contacted him or any one else in his party for support in the current political standoff over it.
“Nobody so far has contacted me, not a single person. And today I saw through the internet, I saw the newspapers, all this kite flying in the newspapers, and I was surprised and astonished to see the world reportage on this issue,” Singh told NDTV Monday.
Singh, who is in the US, said he was not “offended” that no one has contacted him.
“On record I am saying that no one, no one has contacted me on the pending crisis, I am one person who is very outspoken, I am not known for talking what is not correct. If anybody would have asked me, what is wrong in admitting that?,” he asked.
“Absolutely not(offended). It is their internal party matter. Politics is not about an ego trip and why should they contact me or my party if they don’t feel it necessary.
“When Left parties have not withdrawn support where is the urgency, and only the day before yesterday Prakash Karat (Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary) issued a statement that the government will last its full term,” he said.
On being asked whether the Samajwadi Party would support the nuclear deal in parliament, Singh said : “In a popular political conjecture the analysis would be that the enemy is my friend.”
“But it would not hold true this time because we are already the UNPA, and it will not be prudent on our part to commit to anything publicly without holding a UNPA (United National Progressive Alliance) meeting,” he added.
Singh said on his return to India he would be meeting all the partners of the UNPA. Besides the Samajwadi Party, the UNPA includes the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the Asom Gana Parishad and the Jharkand Vikas Morcha. It was formed last year to maintain “equidistant” from both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Singh also said “no decision will be taken on the deal without talks with the Third Front leaders.”
“We cannot change our stand (on the nuclear deal) all of a sudden until the facts are given to us,” he added.
“..unless we are given the facts; and unless we are engaged in the deliberating; unless we are convinced that our stated position over supporting the nuclear deal, in parliament and outside parliament, is not substantiated on the hard facts, there is no room for changes in our stand..,” he added.
On early elections, he said: ” …it seems so…. but I don’t think so. It may happen, it may not happen …. because there has been danger for so many months, but every time there is impending danger there is a truce between the Left and Congress. They (the Left) have to take a decision as to what role they want to play. Are they are in opposition or are they in the treasury benches?.”
He said in politics “any political decision should not be taken on the basis of personal prejudice.”
“Decisions should be taken on political prudence and on ideological basis and that will be our take.”