UPA leaders meet to finetune trust vote strategy

Top leaders of UPA allies met in New Delhi on Friday to finetune their political strategy as the ruling coalition braced towards the trust vote on July 22nd in the Parliament in the wake of withdrawal of support by Left parties, plunging the Government into a minority.

A date for convening a special session of the Parliament to seek trust vote is also understood to have been discussed. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has indicated that a session of Parliament may be convened after July 22.

The meeting of the UPA allies was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil, T R Baalu (DMK), Praful Patel (NCP) and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti among others.

JMM leader Hemlal Mummu also attended the meeting capping speculation that it may keep out of the parley with the party being peeved at the "attitude" of coalition leaders towards its chief Shibu Soren.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of Indian Union Muslim League, whose MP E Ahamed is the Minister of State for External Affairs, voicing concern over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The Muslim League is also considering various options, including withdrawing Ahamed from the ministry.

The party has decided at a meeting of its top leadership in Palakkad in Kerala yesterday to vote in favour of the Government when it seeks the trust vote.

The UPA leaders are understood to have reviewed the current situation and the stand to be adopted as the Government moved ahead with the deal circulating the draft safeguards agreement among members of the IAEA Board of Governors.