Washington was so keen on a nuclear deal with India that its New Delhi Embassy worked to “put Sonia Gandhi in a box” by wooing the opposition BJP and breaking the coalition with the Left parties, an Embassy cable sent on May 16, 2008, (154231, confidential) has revealed.
Ambassador David C. Mulford reported on a “carefully timed” approach to BJP leader L.K. Advani that he made in early May 2008. He urged Advani to “exhibit statesmanship and either back the nuclear deal or withdraw opposition to it”.
In the cable, Mulford also scripted out a rationale that the BJP could use to present its volte-face. The “possible script” included the BJP agreeing that it was a “good” overall deal and that it was “in the larger national interest,” and the possible enactment of the BJP's own Hyde Act if and when it came to power.
A new BJP posture, Mr. Mulford knew, would put the UPA in a spot: “It would … put Sonia Gandhi in a box; if she goes ahead with the deal, her Communist allies would be livid, might pull out of the coalition and possibly not have anything to do with the Congress Party post-election. If she does not go ahead with the deal, she will be seen as having let India down when it faced a crucial choice in order to stay in power for just a few more months. If Sonia goes ahead with the deal, she can call the Communists' bluff secure in the knowledge the BJP is pro-deal.”
It appeared from the cable that Mr. Advani turned down the U.S. advances at this May 8 meeting, though Mulford was later informed by Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon that Advani was “glad he came”. The Ambassador also called upon former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who informed him that “he too had met with Advani to seek a shift in the BJP leader's thinking.”
“Embassy,” an undeterred Mr. Mulford told superiors in Washington, “will keep reaching out to BJP opinion shapers to see if we can provoke a shift in the party that could bring the civil nuclear issue to a head by the end of May.”
Keywords: Cable154231, WikiLeaks, The India Cables, Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, David Mulford
Is the present policy of putting into Box "Sonia gandhi" through Chidambaram has anything to do with Nuclear deal and Iran policy of India? Is UPA being broken up through world bank cronies? Is the Koodankulam agitataion with subtle connivance of state government, anything to do with Nuke deal?
I am a student by profession and before this year I was unable to
understand that what the hell is politics but this year whatever
happened in India and whatever done by our political parties specially
Congress, taught me a lot even now I can take part in debates related
to politics and corruption.
This is not surprise news, since we know the NDA govt led by BJP's foreign policy towards US. The succesive UPA follows the same. BJP /Congress serve the nation (read big business houses) not for the majority voted people. Thanks to wikileaks and 'The Hindu' for exposing the ruling classes.
U.S.A plays with Indian politics very well. Indian polticians and citizens should understand the dangers of Atomic energy from the Japan disaster. We need to tap our solar and wind energy to safeguard our nation and present it to our children.
So now it is the time for the BJP to confirm whether this story is true or fabricated, so that authenticity of these cables at large can be proved.
Not able to believe it's same country who proudly carried NAM movement when it had more hurdles than now and earned respect of world.it's really sad that American's has so much access and influence to our internal affairs.
Now it's clear BJP will do anything to acquire the power - they don't care about Indian public, they need power. Advani should quit politics and should go out of parliament.
No wonder why US doesn't want BJP in power...US only likes and support the regimes that does its biding for its benefit, not those that works for their nation. Apparently it is clear once again and although, BJP is painted saffron by the UPA, it appears more relatively upright than UPA...(Please correct me, if I'm wrong)
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