Indian parliament holds trust vote in Singh government (2nd Lead)

Jul 22, 2008, 14:37 GMT

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.