SAD makes BJP happy, says it's with NDA

The Shiromani Akali Dal, a key constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, on Thursday said it was with the NDA on the India-US nuclear deal issue.

In the event of the UPA government seeking a trust vote in the Lok Sabha on the nuke issue, the SAD would go along with the NDA, party supremo and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said.

"All decisions taken by the NDA are acceptable to the SAD. In the event of voting, the party will support the NDA," he said.

Badal, however, said a final decision on the entire gamut of the issue would be taken at party's Political Affairs Committee meeting on July 15.

The SAD has eight members in the Lok Sabha which can play a crucial role during the confidence vote.

SAD general secretary Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said the party was in favour of the nuclear deal but this did not mean that it would vote in favour of the UPA.

"The SAD is in favour of the deal, but this does not imply that it will vote in favour of the UPA," he said.

 Dhindsa, also party's Parliamentary Board Chairman, said the Manmohan Singh government had been reduced to a minority after the UPA-Left break-off and it must seek the trust vote.

He, however, refused to divulge party's stand in case of voting on the nuke issue.

Asked whether the party would abstain from voting, Dhindsa said "all decisions on the issue will be taken at the PAC meeting."

Supporting the nuclear deal, he said, "It will enormously help in improving the power situation in the country."

 Sharing this view, several Akali leaders, including MP Rattan Singh Ajnala, said the deal was "good for the country".