NEW DELHI, MARCH 26: Opposition parties seem to be divided on whether to press for a division vote on the motion of confidence of the BJP-led government to be moved by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee tomorrow, with the main Opposition party, the Congress, playing coy while the UF is keen to seek a division vote.Though most Opposition parties have issued whips and Congress Chief Whip PJ Kurien issuing a three-line one, the Congress refused to say today whether it would press for a division. All that party leader in the Lok Sabha, Sharad Pawar, had to say was: ``We have issued a whip asking our MPs to vote against the motion.'' Apparently, Congress leaders are consulting UF leaders on what precisely to do on Saturday when the voting is scheduled for.A division vote can be pressed for by any member of the Lok Sabha, either individually or on behalf of his party, and it would require terrific coordination between the Congress and the UF not to precipitate this. The Left parties and the Samajwadi Party havealready declared their keenness for a division vote.A voice vote, which is the first step, doesn't exactly show how close a contest was and often many members don't even raise their voice either way.On the other hand, a division would force the issue to the wire and make every vote count. It would also force parties like the Telugu Desam Party and National Conference, who are talking in terms of abstaining, to take a line. It follows that any MP violating a party whip opens himself or herself to disciplinary action.This is what the Left and the SP are counting on: making the BJP go all the way to ensure its victory on Saturday. Though the BJP and its allies have the edge in terms of numbers in the House, the UF is of the view that the division, instead of a voice vote, will serve to show where each party stands.``So what if we lose now. There will be any number of occasions, like voting on Finance Bills, in the future to embarrass the BJP,'' said a UF leader.Samajwadi Party spokesman Amar Singhtold a press conference that his party, a constituent of the UF, would demand a division on the confidence vote. It would not settle for a voice vote like the anti-BJP parties did during the Speaker's election.According to UF sources, a division would expose parties like the TDP which has decided to vote in favour of the government if the BJP and its allies fall short of numbers. UF leaders added there was still no coordination with the Congress to evolve a joint strategy for the confidence vote. Amar Singh said his party was keen to see that the BJP would not adopt ``the Kalyan Singh doctrine'' at the Centre but the SP had not yet issued a whip yet.``We will do it tomorrow,'' said Mulayam Singh Yadav, when asked. Meanwhile, the SP has convened its national executive committee meeting on April 12 in Delhi followed by a two-day training camp on April 19 and 20 in Mumbai to chalk out its post-election strategy.
