BJP says no to nuclear debate without voting

NEW DELHI: The BJP today appeared set to stall parliament over its demands for voting in both Houses on the Indo-US nuclear deal at the end of a debate on the accord.

"We stand by our demand for a vote on the nuclear deal under rule 184 in the Lok Sabha and rule 168 in the Rajya Sabha," senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra told reporters after a meeting of party MPs chaired by Leader of Opposition L K Advani here.

He said the party would also persist with its demands for setting up a joint parliamentary committee on the 123 agreement and disbanding what he called a private committee of the UPA and the Left to examine the Communists' objections over the deal.

In his brief address to party MPs, Advani said they should leave for their constituencies immediately after the monsoon session gets over and highlight to the people the "failures" of the Congress-led government.

The former deputy prime minister, who believes a snap election can take place any time, alleged that the ruling Congress has lost public trust because of its handling of internal security and over the nuclear deal with the United States.

He also referred to a series of terror strikes in the country under the UPA rule