Kolkata : Ridiculing External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's contention that India would be isolated if the Indo-US nuclear deal was not through, the BJP on Monday said the Congress had to be blamed for 'mishandling the agreement'.

"It is their (Congress) own making and the party has to be blamed for the way it had handled such a nationally sensitive issue," BJP leader Venkiah Naidu told reporters here.

Ruling out any support of his party to the Congress on this issue, Naidu said after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, "ably supported by his External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee" had signed the agreement with the US "how can they seek our support?"

The best thing would be to involve all the political parties and evolve a consensus and then move on the issue, he suggested.

"They (Congress) are having discussion with the Left parties, but after the Left issued threats, the government surrendered. They are more interested in clinging to power than to protect the country's prestige," he said.

Naidu said he had respect for Mukherjee but said, "Is he lamenting now? He should tell the Left parties clearly that unless they agree it will be anti-national and anti-development."

But the Congress will not be able to do so as it "is more interested in clinging to power," he added.