Once in power, BJP to re-negotiate nuclear deal

The party said it would revisit the deal to ensure that country?s national strategic interests were safeguarded.

Charging the Congress of taking a U-turn on the nuclear deal, the BJP maintained that the government developed ?cold feet? over the prospect of mid-term polls.

Attacking the Congress for compromising the country?s national interest through the current deal, senior BJP leader Vainkaiah Naidu said, ?We are not opposed to the deal in its entirety. I have no hesitation in accepting that the groundwork for the deal was done during the NDA rule and like many other major issues the grounds were prepared during our time. But had we gone for negotiations on nuclear deal, we would never have forfeited our right to test a nuclear bomb.?

Stating that the Congress was scared of elections, Naidu said, ?First the Prime Minister said the deal was ?cast in stone? and was ?non re-negotiable? and the Congress chief then dubbed those opposing it as enemies of development and country. Now they have put the deal on hold to save the government. The Congress leadership needs to come clean on what transpired in-between,? Naidu said.

Countering arguments that the UPA government would last its full-term , Naidu queried, ?Do you think that the nuclear deal is the only contradiction between the Congress and the Left? No, there are many others.?