On Board PM's special aircraft, Oct 18
By Ravi Shankar (ANI)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that the Indo-US nuclear deal was passed by the Cabinet, where major coalition partners had given their consent to it.

On being asked to comment on some of his coalition partners having said that they had reservations about the nuclear deal from the very onset, Singh replied, " This agreement (123-agreement) was approved by the Cabinet. So where is the question of the UPA going back on it?" "This was part and parcel of the Cabinet process," he added.

Earlier, some of the coalition partners, particularly the Sharad Pawar led NCP, Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD and M Karunanidhi led DMK had expressed their reservations about the deal after the Left's opposition to the nuclear agreement reached its zenith, leading to speculation that the Communists may withdraw their support from the Government.
 
During his return from South Africa, where he participated in the tri-lateral IBSA Summit, Singh admitted that if something does not go as planned then it does have an affect and that one has to live with uncertainties.

However, he added that he has not given up the hope on the successful culmination of the nuclear deal and said that there exist 'difficulties'. 'We are in a coalition and we have to find a way out," he said adding, "I have not given up the hope."

He reiterated that his government is not one-issue government and that setback on one issue does not mean the "end of life". "We have done many things and there are lots of things to be done," he added. (ANI)

Next: Creator of Chandigarh's Rock Garden happy about its popularity.