The Hindu : National : Both sides are evenly poised

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Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008
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National

Both sides are evenly poised

Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI: At the close of the first day of the trust vote discussion in the Lok Sabha on Monday, the government and the Opposition appeared evenly poised, with both sides having 267 members each in their kitty.

Though the ruling coalition was hopeful of getting past the Opposition in the numbers game with the help of abstentions — if not some desertions from the other side — the situation was far from comfortable for the United Progressive Alliance.

On Monday night, rumours flew thick and fast about differences in the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Janata Dal (Secular). However, JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali scoffed at such rumours and said his party would vote against the government.

PTI reports from Mumbai:

BJP MP Harischandra Chavan, hospitalised in Nashik after a serious accident, was flown to Delhi on Monday night to participate in the trust vote. Similarly, Mahesh Kanodia, BJP MP from Gujarat, who is in a Mumbai hospital, would be flown to Delhi by Tuesday, party sources told PTI.

Mr. Kanodia underwent an open heart surgery at the Asian Heart Institute here on July 14 and is recuperating there.

Mr. Chavan boarded a special aircraft, arranged by the party, from the Ojhar airstrip near Nashik.

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