UPA's Survival On 22nd July? And Aftermath -2

[acharya]

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CPI(M) move to tie up with BSP triggered horse trading: Vayalar Ravi</b>

Special Correspondent

“There were incidents of cross-voting in Opposition and ruling fronts”

KOCHI: It was the CPI(M)’s move tie up with the Bahujan Samaj Party of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati that led to the “horse trading” during last week’s confidence vote in Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, who was one of the floor managers of the ruling coalition, said on Sunday.

At a news conference on Sunday, he pointed out that there were incidents of cross-voting in the Opposition and ruling fronts. “Even we [the UPA] lost seven votes,” Mr. Ravi said.
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He was optimistic that the Congress and the UPA would easily form a government after the next general election. Of course, if the Left offered its support, that offer would not be turned away.</b>

Mr. Ravi said the UPA would address the concerns of the Muslim League’s “suspicions and concerns” over the nuclear agreement.
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Asked if the Manmohan Singh government would be able to finalise the India-U.S. nuclear deal before its term ended, Mr. Ravi said it depended on the time taken by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and the NSG (Nuclear Supply Group) to complete their formalities.
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Contradictory to public impression, the Minister said, Russia and France would be supplying India the required nuclear reactors, and not the United States.

He appreciated the stand taken by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.