UPA's Survival On 22nd July? And Aftermath

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Akali Dal to vote against government</b>

Sarabjit Pandher

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh has said that all the eight MPs of the party would vote against the UPA government during the trust vote on Tuesday. He ruled out abstention by even a “single MP.”

Mr. Singh was talking to The Hindu over the phone from Delhi after chairing a party meeting at his official residence.

He scoffed at talks of division within the party over the issue of “saving the first Sikh Prime Minister.” The party stood like rock with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, he asserted.

“Though there was no need for this, the Shiromani Akali Dal issued a whip to all its MPs to be present in the House when the motion for vote of confidence is moved on Tuesday and vote against it. This was done to put at rest all speculations.”

The party’s top leadership had explained that the vote of confidence and the nuclear deal were separate issues, he pointed out.