New Delhi: The threat of mid-term election is looming large over the country following the stand-off between the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government and the Left parties over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
After the Left warned the UPA that going ahead with the nuclear deal could have serious repercussions on the stability of the government, senior Congress leader and the All India Congress Committee General Secretary Digvijay Singh rejected the threat saying his party was not wary of elections.
"The Congress party is not afraid of elections. If a party is wary of elections it will have to close its shop," Digvijay Singh said in Patna where he had gone to discuss the flood situation and the distribution of relief materials with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Digvijay Singh also asked the Left parties to clarify which of the provisions of the Indo-US nuclear deal threatened the country's sovereignty and was not in its interest.
"We should not criticise the pact just because we do not like the US," Digvijay said referring to the Left's opposition to the deal.
When asked if he was hinting at early elections, Digvijay said: "I am not giving an indication but making a statement that no one is afraid of elections."
"I am not saying that," he quickly added when asked if elections were inevitable.
Digvijay also said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was maintaining double standards with regards to the nuclear deal.
"Jaswant Singh tried for six years to clinch a nuclear deal with the US but failed. When the UPA government signed the deal, the BJP is opposing it," he said. "The BJP has no real issue on the matter."
Asked about the possibility of Left parties withdrawing support to the government over the issue, Digvijay said the Prime Minister had already stated that the government had taken a decision and it was for the Left parties to decide their stand.
(With inputs from from UNI)
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