2008 Lok Sabha vote of confidence

The United Progressive Alliance, the governing alliance in India elected in 2004, faced its first confidence vote in the Lok Sabha on 22 July 2008 after the CPI(M)-led Left Front withdrew support over India approaching the IAEA for the Indo-US nuclear deal. The vote was so crucial that the UPA and the opposition parties summoned MPs from their sick beds and even from prison cells to take part in the vote, which was eventually won by the Government. [http://www.itgo.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=&id=6743&sectionid=5&secid=27&Itemid=1 Second day of trust motion] India Today Group Online] cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7519860.stm|title=Indian government survives vote |date=July 22, 2008|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-07-22]

Voting

In the 543 member Lok Sabha, the UPA needed 272 votes for the government to enjoy a simple majority. [ [http://164.100.47.134/newls/membershomepage.aspx Lok Sabha Members] Lok Sabha] The UPA won the confidence vote with 275 votes to the opposition's 256, (10 members abstained from the vote) to record a 19-vote victory.cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/world/asia/23india.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin|title=Indian Government Survives Confidence Vote|date=2007-07-23|publisher="The New York Times"] [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/23/content_8750775.htm Indian gov't wins trust vote in parliament] Xinhua] [ [http://epaper.kashmirtimes.com/Default.aspx?Id=2B4C6A6F716A4B336C52326F4A47673831396E464B4B79756E764678756A366352543255303869426648303D 275 not out] Kashmir Times] [ [http://in.ibtimes.com/articles/20080723/india-upa-nuclear-deal-trust-vote-confidence-motion-bjp-left-reform.htm Post trust vote victory, India Govt. to move forward with reforms, nuclear deal] International Business times]

Abstensions

Ten members abstained from the voting despite some of them having received strict contrary instructions from their parties. [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=a78363f3-9f54-4f46-9da5-9fa0e4577ae8SinghisKing_Special&MatchID1=4735&TeamID1=8&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1194&PrimaryID=4735&Headline=Abstentions+and+cross-voting... Abstentions and cross-voting...] Hindustan Times] . Among the 10, 2 MPs followed their party decision of abstaining so as to not be seen as supporting the UPA or the BJP, Left led opposition. Those two were:
*Trinamool Congress: Mamata Banerjee and
*Mizo National Front: Vanlalzawma.

The other 8 members who abstained defied their party stand. These 8 were:
*Bhartiya Janata Party: Chandrabhan Singh, Manorama Madhavaraj, Kishan Lal Diler and Bahubhai Katara
*Shiromani Akali Dal: Sukhdev Singh Libra
*Janata Dal (United): P.P. Koya
*Shiv Sena: Tukaram Renge Patil
*Telugu Desam Party: D K Audikesavulu

Cross voting

The 7 members of the UPA who cross-voted against the government were:
*Samajwadi Party: Munawwar Hasan, S.P. Singh Baghel, Rajnarayan Budholia, Jaiprakash Rawat, Ateeq Ahmed and Afzal Ansari. [ [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=458d0818-c83d-45c3-aa7b-6d006f9fb92bSinghisKing_Special&MatchID1=4735&TeamID1=8&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1194&PrimaryID=4735&Headline=Agony+and+ecstasy+for+Amar%2c+all+in+one+day Agony and ecstasy for Amar, all in one day] Hindustan Times]
*Indian National Congress: Kuldeep Bishnoi [ [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/21_MPs_cross-voted_on_Tuesday/articleshow/3268020.cms 21 MPs cross-voted during Parliament trust motion] Economic Times]

Conversely, there were four members of the opposition who cross-voted in favour of the government proposal. These 4 were
*Bhartiya Janata Party: Hari Singh Rathod and H.T. Sangliana.
*Biju Janata Dal: Harihar Swain
*Janata Dal (United): Ramswaroop Prasad

Allegations of bribery

Three BJP MPs – Ashok Argal (Morena), Faggan Singh Kulaste (Mandla) and Mahavir Bhagora (Salumber) amidst discussion walked towards the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and placed two brown and black leather bags on a table. They pulled out bundles of INRConvert|1000 and alleged that Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh had tried to offer them bribe to vote in favor of the government. The BJP MP Kulaste, alleged that Amar Singh and Congress leader Ahmed Patel, an aide to Sonia Gandhi tried to offer bribe of INRConvert|9|c to remain absent from the confidence vote. Amar Singh denied the charges.cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/singh-is-king-upa-wins-trust-vote/69332-3-p1.html|title=SINGH IS KING: UPA WINS TRUST VOTE|date=July 22, 2008|publisher=CNN IBN|accessdate=2008-07-22] Speaker Somnath Chatterjee asked the police chief of New Delhi to investigate the bribery issue. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipIyoGI9ajOiSEfU3B53Xnp0bkUw Indian PM celebrates vote win, says millions will benefit] AFP] Indian news channel "CNN IBN" which carried out the sting operation by recording using hidden cameras agreed to share the material with Indian authorities.cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/23/stories/2008072360031200.htm|title= CNN-IBN: ready to submit sting material to Speaker|date=July 23 2008|publisher=The Hindu]

Expulsions

* The speaker of the house, Somnath Chatterjee of CPI(M) was expelled on 23 July 2008

* The Bhartiya Janata Party expelled all it's eight members who defied party guidelines by cross voting and abstentions during the vote of confidence. [http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bjp-expels-all-rebel-mps-who-voted-for-upa/69407-3.html?xml BJP expels all rebel MPs who voted for UPA] CNN IBN]

* The Telugu Desam Party has reported that disciplinary action against two of its MPs, D K Adikeshavulu Naidu and M Jagannadham, would be taken as they voted in support of UPA government,cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/TDP_to_take_action_against_MPs_who_voted_for_UPA/articleshow/3267940.cms|title=TDP to take action against MPs who voted for UPA|date=July 23, 2008|publisher=Times of India|accessdate=2008-07-23] though there were reports of abstention by Adikeshavalu Naidu.

* The Biju Janata Dal expelled it's MP Harihara Swain for voting in favor of government.cite news|url=http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14721640|title=BJD, SAD cross-voters face expulsion|date=July 23, 2008|publisher=Sify|accessdate=2008-07-22]

* The Shiromani Akali Dal has asked for an explanation from its MP who abstained from voting.

Trivia: Animal sacrifice

* It was reported that the Samajwadi Party legislator Kishore Samrite sacrificed 319 animals - 302 goats, 17 buffaloes - in a 10-day long yagnya for appeasing the Goddess Kamakhya in order for UPA to win the trust vote. Samrite also offered another 'yagnya' at Ugratara temple in the city and sacrificed two buffalos there. [cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/29upavote1.htm|title=319 animals killed for UPA survival. Divinity?|accessdate=2008-07-29] He spent about 17 lakh on the yagnya, and self-confessed to have done it before several times, in distress.

References