New Delhi, Mar 5: Describing Atal Bihari Vajpayee as "Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday appealed to former Prime Minister to rise above "narrow" party politics and support the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics Atal Bihari Vajpayee should listen to his conscience and let national interest prevail upon narrow politics," Singh said in the Rajya Sabha seeking support of his predecessor on the nuclear deal.

In his reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on President`s Address, Prime Minister assured Parliament the government would not compromise on requirements of national security in inking the nuclear deal with the US.

While the Prime Minister mounted a strident attack on the previous NDA Government, Singh had words of praise for Vajpayee for his "courageous" steps to foster peace with Pakistan.

"The most courageous steps to build peace were taken by Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Atal Bihari Vajpayee," Singh said in an identical reply in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister said his government has continued the process with President Pervez Musharraf.

Singh noted that the dialogue process was started by the then Prime Ministers late Benazir Bhutto and late Rajiv Gandhi.

Singh was also happy with former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra "coming out openly in defence of the Nuclear Cooperation Agreement,".

US confident that N-deal

Pressing India to conclude agreement with IAEA and seek waiver from Nuclear Suppliers Group by May, the US on Wednesday voiced confidence that the deadline will be met despite stiff political opposition here. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher maintained that the Hyde Act will apply in terms of allowing the US Administration to pursue civil nuclear cooperation with India but refused to clearly spell out the fallout on the agreement if India were to conduct an atomic test.

"The time is short... The time is tight, very tight and there is lot of work to be done," Boucher told a press conference here when asked about the fate of the nuclear deal.

The US official, who discussed the status of nuclear deal with Indian officials, said realistically, New Delhi should firm up Safeguards Agreement with IAEA and seek waiver from NSG by May to give the Congress time to have a final vote on the agreement.

Asked whether he was optimistic, he replied in the affirmative. "We can make that happen," he said.

To a question about opposition by political parties to the deal, Boucher said the US "understands" such processes which are normal in democracies and it was for the government here to see how to "overcome" these as there is not much time.