UNPA's 8 MPs to oppose trust vote in LS

Agencies Posted: Jul 11, 2008 at 2035 hrs
New Delhi, July 11: The UNPA comprising TDP, AGP and Jharkhand Viakas Morcha (JVM) with eight MPs in Lok Sabha will vote against the confidence motion to be sought by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 22.

"The TDP with five MPs, AGP having two and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) one member will vote against the motion of confidence in the Lok Sabha on July 22," TDP parliamentary party leader K Yerrannaidu said.

He said the government would find it difficult to win the trust vote by a convincing margin and even if it managed to scrape through, small parties jockeying for plum ministries will be keeping the Manmohan Singh ministry always on tenterhooks.

The UNPA is objecting to a ‘minority government’ taking any policy decision before proving its majority in the Lok Sabha.

After Left parties withdrew support to the UPA, the government has been reduced to minority and "it cannot proceed even one step without taking confidence vote", Yerrannaidu said.

The TDP leader termed as ‘unconstitutional’ the submission of the safeguards document to the IAEA Board of Governors and said it amounted to ‘pure violation’ of the assurance given by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the government will go to the international nuclear watchdog only after going to Parliament.

Yerrannaidu, who is in touch with JD(S) leader and former Prime Minister H D Devegowda, RLD chief Ajit Singh and Left leaders Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan, accused the Prime Minister of making the nuclear deal a ‘personal and prestige issue’ ignoring matters of national interest such as inflation, farmers suicide and foodgrain shortage.

He said there was ‘conflict’ within Samajwadi Party and JMM and these parties might not vote enbloc.