From correspondents in Delhi, India, 05:30 PM IST

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said the Congress party was ready to take the support of the Left to form the next government, but not at the cost of giving up the nuclear deal with the US.

'I have enjoyed working with the Left. I have nothing personal against the Left parties... But it would not be at the cost of giving up the nuclear deal,' he told CNN IBN news channel in an interview.

'The nuclear deal was achieved after a lot of labour, we ended India's isolation... I don't think any serious minded patriotic party would oppose the nuclear deal,' he said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)