Emerging from their meetings, both Yadav and Singh maintained they had not given any commitment to the Prime Minister about extending support. The Congress, however, maintained that the SP had expressed support for the deal at 7, RCR.

Thanking the SP for supporting the deal, AICC media cell chairperson Veerappa Moily told reporters here that Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh had “expressed support to the nuclear deal “during their meeting with the PM” and “reiterated the support” during their meeting with Gandhi.

“And we are thankful to the Samajwadi Party. They have acted in the best interest of the nation. Their help has been very timely,” said Moily. According to Congress sources, the SP fell short of going public with its support for the deal because it had to complete the “formality” of informing other UNPA partners about its talks with the PM and the Congress President.