Congress thanks SP for 'supporting' nuke deal

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New Delhi, July 4:: Claiming that Samajwadi Party had conveyed its support to the nuclear deal, Congress on Friday expressed gratitude to it but was non-committal on the issue of inclusion of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party in the government.

"We thank Samajwadi Party for supporting the deal," Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters in New Delhi after SP leaders Yadav and Amar Singh met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Congress leader Veerappa Moily also insisted that Yadav and Amar Singh "expressed support to the nuclear deal" and "reiterated the support" during their meeting with Gandhi.

The Congress' claim about SP conveying support to the deal came even though Yadav and Singh maintained that they had not given any ‘commitment so far’ and would decide on it only after talking to other UNPA constituents.

The Congress, however, was non-committal on the possibility of SP being included in the Council of Ministers in case they join the government.

"It is a matter for the UPA, Prime Minister and Samajwadi Party to decide," Ahmed said.

Moily thanked Samajwadi Party for their support on nuclear deal and said, "Their help has been very timely. They have acted in the best interest of the nation."

About going to IAEA, he said, "Government will take a responsible decision at an appropriate time. I don't think, we can spell out the time and the timeline."

When asked, will Prime Minister push through the deal in G8 summit, where he will meet US President George W Bush, he said, "The Prime Minister will be meeting the heads of many countries and may discuss many things that I am not concerned with.”

The Congress leader lashed out at the Left parties for giving a deadline without going for a meeting of the joint mechanism -- created one-and-a-half year back under the chairmanship of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out differences.