N-deal not main issue for Muslim voters: SP leader Azmi

Thu, Jul 3 09:00 PM

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI) The Indo-US nuclear deal was not the main issue for the Muslim voters as they were more concerned about communalism and rising inflation, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi said today. "I don't think the Muslim voter is concerned about the nuclear deal.

Communalism and inflation are bigger issues for him," Azmi told reporters after the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) meeting here. When asked which was a bigger threat, he rated communalism higher than inflation.

Azmi, who is the face of Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra, said Muslims are not against the deal. "They have doubts because it is a US-sponsored deal.

US stance on Muslims is well known and moreover its ally Israel too has been fighting Palestinians, therefore there are doubts about its benefits. But there is no opposition from Muslims against the deal," Azmi said.

Meanwhile, even though the UNPA has declared that the Prime Minister would not get a certificate of their support for the deal before July 6, the alliance leaders are yet to decide their next course of action. A senior SP leader said they would work out various options on their stance on the issue.

The leader did not rule out the delink option, where the party may oppose the deal but could support the UPA on it on the floor of the House. However, the leader said that the alliance would not hold a meeting on July 6, suggesting that they would have internal dicussions on the issue during the next three days before coming out with a solution prior to the Prime Minister's departure to Japan for the G-8 summit on July 7.

PTI.

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