Nine of NDA, three of JDS absent during LS trial of strength

The absence of nine members of NDA, three of JDS including H D Deve Gowda and two of TRS helped the Congress-led UPA coalition to breeze through comfortably in the trial of strength on cut motions in the Lok Sabha.

The absence of nine members of NDA, three of JDS including H D Deve Gowda and two of TRS helped the Congress-led UPA coalition to breeze through comfortably in the trial of strength on cut motions in the Lok Sabha.

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The abstention of five independents, including Jaswant Singh, added to the ruling coalition's comfort as also the staying away of three other members -- Kalyan Singh, Bhajan Lal and Jaya Prada. The two TRS members, including party chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, were absent.

In the division on the cut motion moved by CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Tuesday, the coalition got the support of 289 votes against 201 for the opposition.

Those from the Congress who could not make it included Abdul Mannan Hossain and Badriram Jhakhar. Also absent were Udayan Raje Bhosle from NCP, who is abroad, Sharif-uddin Sharique of National Conference and independent member Madhu Koda, who is in jail.

JMM member Kameshwar Baitha, who is also in jail, was absent too.