In the aftermath of the withdrawal of support by Left parties, the Indian Capital is agog with hyperactivity. The President is likely to ask UPA for a ‘Confidence Vote’ in the lower house early fourth week of July’8. This time span seems to be enough for the Congress to mend any loopholes left in its support structures, by weaning away a number of MPs from independents and smaller parties.
With a support from 39 MPs of Samajwadi Party (SP) solidly behind it, the shortage is of about 3 MPs to reach the magic figure of 272. The Congress is trying to ensure the support of at least 10 more MPs, which will not be difficult to master from within about 20 MPs of other smaller parties like Rastriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh with 3 MPs and 3 independent MPs. A margin of about 7 MPs would be safe to counter any cross voting defying party whips from SP or other smaller constituent of UPA.
Mamata Banerjee in all likelihood too, would be voting for UPA , with or without declaring so. She is in dire need of some margin time to consolidate her gains in recent Rural and mini Urban Polls in Bengal to flex her muscles in Parliamentary elections. Survival of UPA government would provide her party that extra bit of time.
Although sure of winning the ‘Confidence Vote,’ Congress is leaving no stone unturned to master as maximum a vote as possible, because a bigger margin win would automatically stabilize the government to complete full term. As the ‘Confidence Vote’ is being taken on the issue of Nuclear Deal, success of the Confidence motion would also give the N- Deal a legality of sorts and will be seen by the masses, as if the N-Deal has got the approval of the Parliament.