BJP, CPM to join hands on nuke deal

NEW DELHI: In an unusual move, the BJP and the CPM are joining hands to embarrass the Manmohan Singh government. Stung by the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy pact, the CPM and the NDA are planning to move a resolution in Parliament condemning the agreement which will come up for a vote in the US Congress shortly.

The resolution to express the "Sense of the House" is intended to let India and the world know that majority MPs do not support the UPA government's nuclear and foreign policies making India subservient to the US.

The comrades and the BJP are working in tandem to move the resolution for different reasons. The BJP, which adopted a pro-US stand when in power, took a U-turn now to score political points, while the CPI(M) is fighting an ideological battle against George Bush and Manmohan Singh.     

Sources said senior CPM leader and politburo member Sitaram Yehcury on Monday discussed the issue with senior BJP leader and former foreign minister Yaswant Sinha. Yehcury also had talks with senior Congress leader and erstwhile external affairs minister Natwar Singh and former minister of state for external affairs and Janata Dal (United) leader Digvijay Singh about the contours of the resolution.  

Yechury also held talks with eminent lawyers FS Nariman and Ram Jethmalani before finalising the draft resolution.