Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, July 19: New Delhi, July 19: With each vote becoming crucial for the survival of the government, top leaders of the UPA and SP on Saturday held a strategy session to get the numbers right.
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The meeting held at External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's residence came on a day when the Samajwadi Party, the new ally saw a fresh revolt with one of its Lok Sabha members declaring he will vote against the government.
SP general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Shahid Siddiqui too quit the party and joined the BSP.
Apart from Mukherjee, other leaders who attended the meeting included RJD chief Lalu Prasad, LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan, DMK leader T R Baalu and Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh.
No question of PM resigning before trust vote: Cong
New Delhi, July 19: The Congress on Saturday said there was no question of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resigning before the July 22 trust vote as he will comfortably win the trial of strength.
"The question does not arise as he will win the trust vote comfortably," Congress media department chief M Veeraapa Moily said on being asked by reporters whether PM would step down before Tuesday's vote in Lok Sabha.
Asked about Congress President Sonia Gandhi meeting with party MPs, Moily said, "The MPs are meeting her out of courtesy and they are politically mature enough to take the message of benefits of nuclear deal to the people."
Moily said the Congress has information that some MPs from Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and BJP would abstain but declined to name them.
In reply to a question whether the JMM MPs are on board, Moily said "as of now they are with the UPA." On getting the support of Ajit Singh-led RLD, the senior Congress leader said, "Ajit Singh will take his own decision."
Shibu Soren to meet with UPA leaders
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren is scheduled to meet with UPA leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to look into the possibility of joining hands.
But there appears to be a problem as two of the four MPs of the party are demanding a seat in the cabinet. Soren himself has been wooed by both NDA and UPA with lucrative offers.
Yesterday, JMM had hinted at supporting UPA in trust vote. The party had issued party whip to its five MPs.
According to sources, isolating party chief Soren, 4 of five JMM MPs have refused to vote along with NDA, which had offered Jharkhand CM’s post to Soren. Congress had also offered a Cabinet berth to JMM chief. And if the party leader decides to vote against the UPA, like others JMM can expect rebellion within itself, with the possibility of the MPs deserting Soren.
Meanwhile, the Telanagana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao is due to meet Ajit Singh in a short while aiming to gain the latter’s support in toppling the government of Dr Manmohan Singh.
Earlier, TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao met with UP Chief Minister Mayawati and said the third front will try to form a non-Congress government with the BSP supremo as the prospective Prime Ministerial candidate.
We have 291 MPs: Lalu Prasad Yadav
Taking the battle to the opposition, prominent UPA leader and RJD supremo Lalu Yadav said, “We have 291 MPs and we are confident of winning the vote.”
Appearing absolutely confident Lalu added, “We all are behind the PM and the UPA will easily win the trust vote. Even Shibu Soren is with us.”
However, he seems to be peeved with the Left for withdrawing from the government. Directly attacking veteran CPI leader AB Bardhan, Lalu said, “What he has done is very wrong. He even didn’t listen to Left patriarch Jyoti Basu. History will never forgive him.”
"Bardhanji has harmed the reputation of all parties with his comments. He has said a very nasty thing," Prasad told reporters after chairing a meeting of the RJD Parliamentary Party at his residence here.
The CPI leader has "defamed" MPs of all parties and "assassinated their character", Prasad said adding, "he should either prove his allegations or apologise".
Spewing more venom on the CPI general secretary, he said, "The country will never forgive Bardhan. He has defamed Parliamentary democracy. His allegations are a conspiracy to destroy the very foundations of democracy."
The RJD Parliamentary Party meeting saw 21 of its 24 MPs in attendance. Prasad said all RJD members, including the two jailed MPs Pappu Yadav and Mohammed Shahabuddin, will vote for the UPA during the trust vote. Other than the two, another MP Sitaram Yadav could not come due to personal reasons, he said.
Lalu took the opportunity to even take a dig at Mayawati by declaring that her dream to become the PM will always remain a dream.
Incidentally, Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan also attacked Mayawati by accusing her of hobnobbing with the BJP.
“Her love for minority cause is a mere eyewash,” added Paswan.
RJD MPs eager to quit party: JD(U)
As suspense heightened over the game of numbers, Janata Dal (United) on Saturday claimed some RJD MPs were in touch with the party and could vote against the confidence motion on July 22.
Within hours of RJD chief Lalu Prasad's assertion that all his 24 MPs will vote in support of the motion, JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' claimed some RJD MPs were "very
eager" to quit the party and switch over to their side.
He, however, evaded a direct reply on how many RJD MPs were in touch with JD(U), saying "everything will be clear on July 22".
Lalan was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the JD(U) National Executive, being attended by seven of its eight Lok Sabha members.
On the RJD chief's claim of support of 291 MPs, he said "Lalu Prasad is living in the world of dreams. First let him protect his own house (RJD)".
On the absence of party MP P P Koya, JD(U) spokesman Shambhu Srivastwa said he was unwell, but will make it at the time of voting.
The two-day National Executive, which began today, strongly criticised the Congress-led coalition over inflation and the Indo-US nuclear deal, and described the UPA government
as "most insensitive government India has ever had".
Srivastwa said JD(U) will vote against the government as the party "will not accept American hegemony by surrendering on the issue of sovereignty. We will not compromise, come what may".
He said "this government is a government of betrayal and national shame", and added that people would not accept "such a betrayal".
Naidu meets Ajit Singh, discusses crucial issues
The high-voltage political drama, which the country is witnessing for the last few days is changing colours every hour. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday met Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh to discuss the issue of support to the Congress-led UPA government during the confidence motion.
According to reports, the two leaders weighed all options available before them in view of the fast changing political scene in the capital and the possibility of the two joining hands on the issue.
After the meeting, RLD chief said, “I will discuss the views presented by the TDP leader.”
However, not disclosing his party’s stand, the farmer leader said, “Naidu has put some very good thoughts, which I will consider”
Speaking to the media persons waiting outside his residence, Ajit Singh stated that his views matched with Chandrababu Naidu’s views on several issues, which will be kept in mind while taking any decision.
The RLD leader had earlier hinted that he would vote in favour of the UPA government in lieu of a Cabinet berth for him and a Lok Sabha seat for his son.
TRS chief to meet Ajit Singh
Meanwhile, the Telanagana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao is due to meet Ajit Singh in a short while aiming to gain the latter’s support in toppling the government of Dr Manmohan Singh.
Earlier, TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao met with UP Chief Minister Mayawati and said the third front will try to form a non-Congress government with the BSP supremo as the prospective Prime Ministerial candidate.
Cong says it will get support from 'unexpected quarters'
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is
hosting a dinner on Sunday ahead of the trust vote amid
declaration by Congress that there will be "surprises" in its
favour from all parties, excluding the Left.
Congress leaders appeared much relieved today amid claims
that the Government has comfortable majority and would receive
support from "unexpected quarters".
"We expect support from unexpected quarters from outside
our traditional support base. We have built a cushion of
surprises. There will be support from all parties excluding
the Left," AICC General Secretary and Minister of State in PMO
Prithviraj Chavan said to the reporters here.
The National Conference and constituents of the UPA and
its supporting parties like Samajwadi Party as also CLP
leaders, PCC chiefs, AICC office-bearers are among the 500-odd
guest list for the dinner.
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have also been
invited.
Chavan's statement which spoke of surprises meant or
implied that some members of the BJP, BJD, Shiv Sena and Akali
Dal could also support the Government in the trust vote.
Meanwhile, party sources expressed confidence that MPs
from Manipur and Nagaland could also vote for the Government
in the trust vote.
Party leaders have been maintaining that they have a
minimum support of 280-plus MPs.
First Published: Saturday, July 19, 2008, 00:00