Akhilesh Yadav
Cracks seem to have appeared in opposition unity on Rafale deal issue after the Supreme Court dismissed pleas seeking probe into the purchase of 36 fighter jets from Dassault Aviation under intergovernmental agreement between India and France.
Deviating from his earlier stand, former UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that his party has given up its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal after Supreme Court verdict in the matter.
The SP chief further said that his party had demanded JPC when the apex court had not given its judgement.
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"But now the Supreme Court verdict has come and it has looked at all aspects. If someone has to say something in the future, then the doors of Supreme Court are open," he said.
"There is no bigger court than the Supreme Court and there is nothing bigger on which people have faith," he added.
The stance of Samajwadi Party is at variance with Congress which is persisting with its demand for JPC into the Rafale jet deal with a French company.
Yadav's remarks have come at a time when efforts are being made to bring opposition parties together against the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The SP has offered support of its lone MLA to Congress in Madhya Pradesh after the Assembly elections.
(With IANS inputs)
