Fission 038; Fusion

Prime minister Manmohan Singh said the agreement will in no way impinge on the country's strategic programme...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the agreement will in no way impinge on the country8217;s strategic programme and expressed confidence that the UPA would win the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP issued a whip to its MPs and said all NDA constituents are together. It claimed members of UNPA and some disgruntled Congress MPs are in touch with them to vote against the Government. The BJP claimed the UPA combine has backing of no more than 250 MPs.

Former Prime minister V P Singh asked the Government not to proceed with the nuclear deal before the trust vote, saying that the agreement will curtail the country8217;s political freedom.

West bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and State Industries Minister Nirupam Sen called on patriarch Jyoti Basu to persuade Somnath Chatterjee to toe the party line and quit the post.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal said the party would vote against the UPA. Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, a SAD B MP, said he is willing to quit his post to cast his vote against the Government.

The National Conference, with two MPs, will decide on the vote for or against the UPA on July 22, said NC chief Omar Abdullah.

Samajwadi party leader Amar Singh met Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and requested him not to quit the post, saying Mulayam Singh Yadav had requested him to continue in office.samajwadi party MP Atiq Ahmed, facing trial in a number of criminal cases, was permitted by a UP court to take part in the trust vote. Atiq had said he was against any deal with the US.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati will meet PDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to discuss strategy to topple the UPA Government. Maya promised all 17 MPs tickets for next polls to keep her flock together ahead of the trust vote.

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said she does not have any personal enmity with the Speaker but propriety and parliamentary convention demand that he should resign.

RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin moved Patna High Court seeking its permission to allow him to participate in the trust vote. RJD issued a whip asking its 24 MPs to ensure their presence in the LS.

JMM, with five MPs, continued to maintain suspense over its strategy but party chief Sibu Soren expressed his displeasure for not being re-inducted into the cabinet.

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Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda dropped enough hints that his party will not support the UPA as the Congress had humiliated and tortured him by fabricating false charges.