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Monday, July 21, 2008

United Progressive Alliance pads up for slog overs

The Murky backroom battle to gain control of India see-sawed all of Sunday as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) appeared to be just two short of the 272 votes it needs - before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes to the Lok Sabha on Monday to move a one-line motion to seek the House's confidence in his council of ministers.

But victory is not certain. The Opposition numbers at midnight on Sunday stood at 266, just four short of the UPA's figures as hectic meetings continued into the night. The Congress tried to keep its flock intact by asking party leaders - also deputed to snatch Opposition MPs - to host dinners, breakfasts and lunches.

The numbers game will continue its roller-coaster ride over the next two days. As the debate before the trust vote unfolds over at least 16 hours, one member parties and MPs are out to strike it rich or push their pet projects either through the UPA or the Opposition (graphic).

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Speaker relents on unruly MPs

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday ended a standoff with the Opposition, by saying that he would withdraw his decision to refer the "disorderly conduct" of 32 MPs to the Privileges Committee. The move followed an understanding reached by Chatterjee, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani.

As the controversy ended, the three month long budget session of the House was adjourned sine die four days before schedule amid protests by the CPI and without taking up the Women's Reservation Bill.

As the House assembled at 2 pm after a two hour adjournment, Mukherjee and Advani urged the Speaker to reconsider his action against the MPs who had defied his pleas when they were protesting against price rise on April 24.

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