New Delhi - The Indian parliament on Tuesday held a vote of
confidence on the Congress party-led government, which could either
lead to early polls or scupper a nuclear deal with the United States.
The vote was called after the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA)
communist partners withdrew their support in protest at the nuclear
deal, which they say could impinge on India's sovereignty.
Under the nuclear agreement, the US would provide India fissile
material and technology for civilian reactors, ending a three-decade
ban. India would in turn open its civilian nuclear reactors to
international inspections.
The vote took place Tuesday evening after opposition MPs prevented
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from making a reply to the two-day long
debate on the motion.
Amid shouts of 'the PM should resign' by opposition MPs, Speaker
Somnath Chatterjee put the motion to a voice vote. The speaker then
ordered a division meaning that MPs could cast their vote
electronically. Some MPs preferred to vote on slips of paper.
The government will survive if it obtains 271 votes out of 541 in
parliament and results were expected to be announced shortly. But
political analysts said that even after weeks of horse-trading and
defections, the vote was expected to be tight.
Projections by Indian media said the UPA, whose seats have been
reduced to 226 after 59 lawmakers from the left withdrew their
support, would garner between 268 and 272 votes with help from the
regional Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties.
But the possibility of last-minute defections from the 34-member
Samajwadi had created a headache for the UPA.
With every vote becoming crucial, six MPs serving jail terms were
released on bail to participate. Some parties also paid for charter
flights to bring in ailing lawmakers.
A defeat for the UPA would lead to early elections by November in
the country that faces slower economic growth and double digit
inflation. It could also spell the death of the nuclear deal.
The UPA government is scheduled to complete its five-year term in
May 2009.
The vote came after a corruption scandal triggered a tumult in the
Indian parliament earlier on Tuesday. MPs from the Opposition
Bharatiya Janata Party flashed wads of currency in the house alleging
they were bribed to abstain from the vote.
Leader of Opposition LK Advani demanded an investigation into the
matter alleged that UPA had tried to bribe three BJP lawmakers for 30
million rupees each.
Describing it as a 'very sad day in the history of parliament',
Parliament Speaker Somnath Chatterjee promised a thorough probe into
what the media described as the worst corruption scandal in the
Indian parliament.
'I can assure you that no one who is guilty will be spared,' he
added.
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