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Number battle heats up, UPA pins hopes on abstentions

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Agencies

Posted online: Tuesday , July 22, 2008 at 12:54:36
Updated: Tuesday , July 22, 2008 at 12:51:07


The battle for numbers that will decide the fate of the UPA government in the trust vote on Tuesday entered the last lap with its hopes hinging on abstentions and last minute defections from rival camps.

Hours before a cliff hanger trust vote, there was good tidings for the Congress-led UPA when the two-member national Conference announced it will vote for teh ruling coalition while a lone Mizo National Front (MNF) MP Vanlalzawma said he will abstain.

Ending the suspense on which way the NC will go, the party chief Omar Abdullah said this morning his party will vote in favour of the UPA government.

As the groupings for and against the government tried to rustle up the numbers, the fencesitters held centre stage amid reports eight to ten NDA MPs may either abstain or violate party whips that will help the ruling coalition pull through.

The target of 271 for getting the majority will come down in the event of abstentions setting the stage for a photo finish in which the Manmohan Singh government may just scrape through.

Possibly sniffing a triumph, a more confident Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flashed another victory sign and thumbs up as he strode confidently into the Lok Sabha on Tuesday morning to attend the proceedings.

The UPA however was not without any anxious moments when Samajwadi party leader Amar Singh alleged that six party MPs were being forcibly kept by BSP supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Mayawati in the UP bhavan here ahead of the trust vote. The Samajwadi has a strength of 38 MPs that will largely help the government to sail through.

Congress crisis managers are claiming they have the assured support of 272 to 276 MPs in the run up to the trust vote dogged by allegations and counter allegations of horse trading.

Not wanting to lose any votes by default, BJP has managed to bring four out of its five ailing MPs to the national capital for the crucial trust vote while efforts were on to airlift the fifth Lok Sabha member from a Mumbai hospital.

The last to arrive in the city was Ramesh Chavan, an MP from Maharasthra, who was airlifted on Monday night.

"Chavan has arrived safely in the capital last night and filmstar Dharmendra, the Bikaner MP, is already here," party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

While senior leader and former prime minister A B ajpayee is slated to attend the special session to cast his vote, party MP from Hathris, Kishanlal Diler is under medical supervision in Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, in close proximity to the Parliament.

Sources said the fifth MP Mahesh Chandra Kanoria is still in a Mumbai hospital's a post-operative ward.

"An air ambulance is stationed at the Mumbai airport. We are waiting for the doctor's permission in case of Kanoria," sources said.

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Small parties to be banned by Ashraf Mudavankattil on 22 Jul 2008

Small regional parties to be banned if they are not able to bag certain percentage of votes in the elections. Percetnages of votes to be increased for the existance of political parties. Otherwise, every disappointed leaders will create his own party. They will put more demands in front of the big parties just for support. so, big parties become nothing at that time. So, there will be uncertainity in forming government. in such cases always there will horse trading practices.

Trust Vote by Austin Santhosh/Bahrain on 22 Jul 2008

To come to power, you need slightly more than 50% seats. The nuclear deal is supported by more than 90% of the Indian Citizens, and so, obviously, UPA got the moral right to do anything to keep itself in Power. There are only 4 to 5% currupt MPs in this parliament - forget about them. What about the Opposition who are ready to put the nation in trouble just to get the political mileaage? In Democracy, this is common. It may take a couple of general elections to sent clean MP's to the Parliament. But thay day will come soon. Long live Indian Republic.

BJP, you are Dawood ka bhai, babbar khalsa ka nai..... by Advaniji on 22 Jul 2008

When the BJP was in power then most of the babbar khalsa related persons who had fleed India came back.Some of these are serving as leaders in Punjab.Even the Sikh diplomat who had taken refugee in Norway is back in Punjab.The BJP is not serving the nation, bit it is perhaps serving the ISI trained terrorists. Bhindrawales posters are openly being sold in Punjab.

BJP fuddy duddies,pack up and leave,so that we can progress and develop. by DILIP/FRANCE on 22 Jul 2008

WE have done the sums and can assure BJP/RSS, the game is over,time to pack in and take stock.After through investigation and reflexion,be assured heads will roll,starting with the old guards,who have arrogantly and ego centically ignored conventional widom, compromised principles,tried to ruin our motherland's Supreme Natioanl Interest and shacked up with the rabid Commie/Jihadi nexus. Such collusion was nauseating and repulsive,and that coming from a party that Champions NATIONALISM WITH SUCH PRIDE AND JOY.WE are urging the the grandess of BJP/RSS, time has come to move on and hand over the reins to the younger generation,who are more savvy and has less baggage. WE would like India to become a modern progressive state,with strong economy,military,prosperity,outward looking,self confident,reduce poverty,create millions of jobs,unfettered FDI,excellent infrastructure,Privatise most PSU's,efficate the PDS,tackle corruption,remove arcane Labour laws,and make India shine.Somove aside.

Trust vote is trust for Nation by Stevan on 22 Jul 2008

Trust Vote by Stevan UPA government will win the trust confidence vote and the nuclear bill will go ahead. Thanks for PM Manmohan Singh and all those MPs of the UPA alliance.In the long run within 3-4 years Indian citizens will get the benefit from this treaty. Espcially , industrial sector , farmares and and rural shortage of power. No doubt Indian economy will grow by this nuclear deal.It is shame thing for communist to its leaders like Karat and its members . They are selfish and don't like the reral growth of Indian from this deal.People must re-think from their behaviour and not to vote this communist in the next loksabha elections.Thanks to USA and thanks to all UPA govt. for approving this deal.

FORGET SONIA, EVEN BUSH CAN BE PM OF INDIA IF HE BRIBES HIS WAY by rain on 22 Jul 2008

WHY DO INDIAN ACCEPT THIS AUTOCRACY AS DEMOCRACY?? DEMOCRACY IS DEAD IN INDIA, autocratic/anarciC ticket (MP/MLA ) distribution BY CARTEL and dynasty makes democracy dead. The rest is done by bribes and favours. People CANNOT directly elect the PM or CM. IT WAS MUCH MORE EASIER TO REMOVE BRITISH THAN THE "CURRENT WRONG" run by the vile-wicked-shrewd combinaton of Indians. THE BRITISH PLANTED POLICIES AND PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM WILL NOW RULE AND RUIN INDIA!!!!! This is how bad india has gone. BJP is doing nataks (false drama ) of being opposition when they want the right cause to fail so those fighting right cause fail. BJP and COngress are both useless for India NOW and have very shallow goals.

DEMOCRACY IS DEAD IN INDIA by rain on 22 Jul 2008

all bad things in India are not due to OIL. that is just a escape route You cannot link many things to OIL and what happens to poor on street. PM waited to almost next election time to raise the Nuclear bogey, he tried year ago and then backed out. That shows about the guts Sonia and PM have. DEMOCRACY IS DEAD IN INDIA, You support him for your community reason. But your community will also take the heat as things deteriorate.===RE:Congress wont get more than 60 MPs in next electionDon't shield Manmohan or Sonia by calling them Baacha. The nuke deal is way to escape bigger problem like Inflation!!! He played his card because inflation was out of control of this genius and .... Main problems will grow, they can even jail you if they WANT, YOU CAN'T DO A THING ABOUT, IT IS AUTOCRACY YOU ARE THE CHILD WHO SUPPORTS SUCH WRONG BLINDLY.BUT THEY HAVE LOT OF MONEY TO BRIBE THEIR WAY. THEY WILL USE IT AS MUCH THEY CAN. SONIA AND EVEN FORIEGN COUNTRIES KNOW OF ITInflation or No inflation. THEse parties HAVE LOT OF MONEY TO BRIBE THEIR WAY. THEY WILL USE IT AS MUCH THEY CAN. SONIA AND EVEN FORIEGN COUNTRIES KNOW OF ITPeople of India have very shallow memory and cannot change the system, the will bribe OR come back with some other stories. THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN REMOVE THE WRONG, THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW IT. THESE GUYS HAVE CORRUPT PARTIES IN their CONTROL BY TICKET DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SO EVEN PARTIES HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE the WRONG CONTROL THEM OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE REMOVED. welcome to wicked world where you were children saying "MERA BHARAT MAHAN", IT IS NOT YOUR COUNTRY ANYMORE, IT IS OWNED BY 'WITE COLLAR" THUGS AND CRIMINALS IMPERSONATING AS GOOD.

UPA Govt by aminqalmi on 22 Jul 2008

white and black is immaterial for muslims..Both bite either through front or from behind

Interesting potboiler ... by Baatul on 22 Jul 2008

Either way aam admi will not get what it wants. Stable electricity supply at current prices.

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