Govt should not thrust Indo-US N- deal on anyone: Pawar

The NCP supremo, whose party is a key constituent of Congress led coalition at the Centre, also said that he was embarrassed by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's suggestion that Pawar would make a good Prime Minister.

Asking the government to take a rational approach on the nuclear deal, he said, "We should try our level best to convince our colleagues, but if we are not in a position to convince... not getting total support... majority in Parliament, then we have to take a rational approach."

"We should not thrust it on anyone. The country requires stability and country wants development," he was quoted as saying.

Pawar, however, said that he would be happy if the nuclear deal goes through as it is an alternate method of generation of energy, which is the need of the hour and is also environment friendly.

He said if the nuclear deal becomes operational, it would add to the strength of the country, but not at the cost of country's stability and economy.

At the same time Pawar said, that the left parties which are opposing the deal are "honest to their thinking".

Pawar's views are significant as his remarks have come at a time when the government has approached the IAEA for arriving at a nuclear safeguards agreement.

The Left parties, which have been opposing the deal, have made it clear that the government should consult them once the talks with IAEA are over.

Pawar did not agree with the suggestion that the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram has failed to deliver the goods. He suggested it was wrong to blame them as the government is not made of one or two parties and there are Left parties which have "some different thinking".

"In every sector there has been good performance and the PM is trying his level best to run the coalition and the country," the NCP chief said.

On Thackeray's suggestion that he would make a good Prime Minister, Pawar said, "I am embarrassed by the suggestion. Bala Sahib and I have known each other for over 40-45 years and share a love-hate relationship."

"I have never known anyone who has attacked me personally so much. He is an interesting person."

"One should not live in fools paradise. If you don't enjoy the (majority)...then no person can be an effective Prime Minister and deliver the goods," he said.