2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments

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Venkaiah: what’s the deal behind the deal?</b>

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday termed the coming together of the United Progressive Alliance and the Samajwadi Party “unholy” and “biggest ever opportunistic politics”

Addressing journalists here, the former BJP national president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said: “The UPA and the SP should tell the country what clinched the deal. We want to know what is the deal behind the deal.”
Speculation

“There is a speculation in political circles that some prominent ministerial portfolios might be changed in the wake of the political realignment. Hence, we want to know from the UPA if there are any such conditions to this new alignment.” SP president Mulayam Singh had not only opposed the nuclear deal signed by the UPA government but was also in the forefront of anti-Congress agitations. More than anything else, he was the chairman of the United National Progressive Alliance, which was supposed to be an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Hence the country had the right to demand an answer from Mr. Singh for his U-turn.
“A sinking ship”

The BJP leader said the UPA government would not stay for long even with SP support. “UPA is a sinking ship. If not today, it will sink tomorrow.” Asked whether the BJP would move a vote of no confidence against the government, Mr. Naidu said: “We have our own plans.”