NEW DELHI, MARCH 26: The BJP is banking on the Telugu Desam Party to vote along with the ruling combine if the Opposition presses for a division in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government's vote of confidence.Throughout the day, the ruling combine was engaged in trying to consolidate its support base. Sources in the BJP today said that TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu gave an assurance to this effect to Vajpayee when the Prime Minister called him last night.The ruling coalition's prospects received a boost this evening when the working committee of the National Conference, another estranged UF ally, decided to ask its parliamentary party to abstain during the vote of confidence.The BJP and allies are ahead of the entire opposition by a wafer-thin margin. While the ruling combine has a strength of 266 members, including two nominated MPs, the Opposition adds up to 263. And the margin is not as concrete as it looks. Senior BJP leader Vijayaraje Scindia is ill and unlikely to cast her vote and Prem SinghLalpura of the Shiromany Akali Dal is not eligible to vote as he refused to quit his Punjab Assembly seat.
