Opp IDBI offensive ends in anti-climax

Congress leader Shivraj Patil sought an ‘‘assurance’’ from the Finance minister on 51 per cent holding but Jaswant Singh was only ready to ‘‘consider’’ it. The Finance minister pointed out that the government could retain the majority share in IDBI through ‘‘executive action’’ and did not require legislative sanction.

That failed to satisfy the Opposition, especially after the Dy Speaker, when pressed for a verdict, said, ‘‘I don’t know if consideration is assurance.’’

The amendment was put to vote and since the Opposition pressed for a division, lobbies had to be cleared before MPs pressed the electronic button. There were only 70-odd members in the House and the Treasury benches were largely empty (only Jaswant Singh and Sushma Swaraj were present).

The voting came down to 36 ayes and 33 noes. But there was more drama as marshals went about collecting slips from members who could not cast their electronic vote. Opposition members alleged that a BJP MP who had voted in the first round had given in his voting slip. After much heckling from both sides, the MP’s vote was counted leading to the final tally — 38 ayes and 38 noes.

The tie-breaker was left to the Deputy Speaker whose vote is a decider in such cases. Before that though, Shivraj Patil and Somnath Chatterjee once again appealed to the finance minister to give the House an assurance.

Singh stood his ground and the Opposition wanted to go no further. Sayeed then declared a retreat: ‘‘In view of the assurance made by the minister, I allow withdrawal of the amendment at this stage without casting my vote.’’

Minutes later, RJD MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh staged a noisy walkout.