“They (Left parties) wanted a veto over every single step of negotiations which is not acceptable. They wanted me to behave as their bonded slave,” otherwise calm and sombre Dr Singh said in an uncharacteristic reply to the confidence motion.

Slams Advani

The beleaguered Prime Minister did not also spare the leader of the Opposition L K Advani who tried to topple the UPA government thrice.

“On each occasion his astrologers have misled him. I urge him at least to change his astrologers so that he gets more accurate predictions of things to come,” was the snide remark from the Prime Minister.

Dr Singh’s response was put up on his website as he could not reply in the Lok Sabha because of the din.
He severely criticised the current crop of Left leaders including CPM boss Prakash Karat and his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan without mentioning their names, who decided to vote with the BJP against the government.

“Our friends in the Left front should ponder over the company they are forced to keep because of miscalculations by their general secretary,” he said reminding them of Advani’s track record as Home Minister in the NDA regime.
“Can our nation forgive a Home Minister who slept when the terrorists were knocking at the doors of our Parliament? Can our nation approve the conduct of a Home Minister who was sleeping while Gujarat was burning leading to the loss of thousands of innocent lives?,” he wondered aloud.

Politician by accident

The Prime Minister who describes himself as a “politician by accident” who has roots in the villages, accused the communists for not having the courtesy of putting their trust on him, who promised to come back to Parliament before operationalising the nuclear deal.

After being on the warpath with the Left for the last one year,  Singh said Left leaders were asked to allow the government to complete the negotiation process, after which the government promised to come back to Parliament.

“This simple courtesy, which is essential for orderly functioning of any government worth the name, particularly with regard to the conduct of foreign policy, they were not willing to grant me,” he said.

Praises Surjeet, Basu

But at the same time, Dr Singh was all praise for CPM stalwarts Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet who helped cobble up the ruling coalition.

The Prime Minister took pot shots at the BJP and Left on the emergence of BSP leader Mayawati as the future Prime Ministerial candidate vis-à-vis BJP’s stand of projecting Advani as its Prime Minister candidate.
“Our Left colleagues should tell us whether L K Advani is acceptable to them as a Prime Ministerial candidate and Mr Advani should enlighten us if he will step aside as Prime Ministerial candidate of the opposition in favour of the choice of the UNPA,” he said.