Leader of the Opposition L K Advani’s efforts to amend his party’s strident posturing on the Indo-US nuclear deal has found some support in the RSS.

A source close to Advani, who did not want to be identified, told The Indian Express that RSS leader Mohan Rao Bhagwat called up Advani on Tuesday and “appreciated the stand taken by him”. With an approval from the RSS, the leader said, the party will now be clearly guided by Advani when the deal comes up for debate in Parliament sometime next week.

Advani had told The Indian Express on Sunday that “there is no problem with the 123 agreement”, if the Government addressed the concerns of the party through amendments in Indian domestic laws. Advani’s statement has created a flutter in the party, as many leaders who were uncomfortable with the original positioning that closely aligned the party with the Left and regional outfits found encouragement to push for amends.

Advani will lead the parliamentary debate for the BJP and is expected to outline the possible amendments in Indian laws that could reassure the party that India’s right to test is protected and fuel supply for India’s nuclear power projects will not be disrupted. He will also elaborate on his party’s attitude towards the US.

The source said multiple factors forced a rethink on BJP’s opposition to the deal. One, it made the BJP sound like the Left, making its urban middle class constituency uncomfortable. Two, the BJP supports strategic partnership with the US. Finally, the party felt the 20 lakh-odd Indians in the US—who are largely BJP’s supporters—were annoyed with the stand.