Sonia gives green light to N-deal; asks cadres to prepare for polls

28 June 2008

Mumbai: Congress president Sonia Gandhi is understood to have given the green light to prime minister Manmohan Singh to go ahead with the nuclear deal even if it means losing the government at the centre.

In her latest decree, Sonia also asked Congressmen to prepare for general elections, clearly indicating that the party is willing to risk elections.

Sonia's call came during a meeting convened by her of top party functionaries. And, going by the stand taken by her, it seems the party has taken the 'political call' on the N-deal issue.

The nuke deal issue, however, did not figure on the agenda during the hour-long discussions.

The Congress seems to have taken into confident the NCP and the RJD, its existing alliance partners. The UPA is also banking on support from Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for the Indo-US nuclear co-operation agreement to pass through.

Mulam Singh, however, maintained that none from the Congress has talked to him on the nuclear issue.