No threat by PM to resign, says Cong

NEW DELHI: Congress on Monday dismissed as 'baseless' the speculation that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has threatened to quit over the nuclear deal controversy.

"I don't respond to baseless speculation," Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said when asked about reports that Singh has threatened to quit earlier in the day during a meeting with leaders of some allies.

The assertion came amid reports that the Prime Minister had told the meeting that he had felt let down by the allies over the nuclear deal and was feeling embarrassed.

Singh had said last week that all the allies of the UPA government were 'part and parcel' of the decision to go ahead with the deal.

    
"He (the Prime Minister) has not said that the allies have breached the coalition dharma," Singhvi said when asked whether the UPA allies were guilty of breaching the collective responsbility of the Cabinet by opposing the deal after agreeing to it in the government.
    
The spokesman said there had been disagreements between the Congress and some allies on certain issues but this had not led to any break of communication and the matters were sought to be resolved through dialogue.
    
"There is no question of embarrassment when there is engagement," he said adding that there was a mature mechanism in the form of a committee.
    
Asked how much time it would take for the deal to materialise, he said "neither you or I are astrologers. The process will go on. There is no time limit to it."
    
To another question, he said "we are all for the deal. It is a good deal".