India

Government wins confidence vote

Article published on the 2008-07-23 Latest update 2008-07-23 13:30 TU

Congress supporters celebrate the win
(Photo: Reuters)

India's government survived a confidence vote on Tuesday night that clears the way to a major US nuclear deal. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says the victory will allow double-digit growth, pulling hundreds of millions out of "chronic poverty, ignorance and disease."

Singh's Congress-led coalition won the confidence vote in parliament by 275 to 256.

The controversy that led to the vote arose over the Indian government's negotiation of a nuclear pact with the United States. In exchange the US and its allies would supply India with nuclear fuel and technological know-how.

Communists withdrew their support for the government over the deal, on the grounds that it would give the US oversight of India's nuclear programme. 

The main opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  also opposed the Indo-US nuclear pact. It accuses the government of bribing MPs to vote in its favour. During the parliamentary debate several BJP members pulled out wads of bills they allege were given to them to switch sides. 

Arun Shourie, senior member of the BJP told RFI that eight people have been expelled from the party, for allegedly accepting bribes. He says that others have provided proof of government misconduct.

"Several members of the BJP had been approached and these members had kept the senior leaders apprised of what amounts have been offerred to them," he said.

The Speaker of the House Somnath Chatterjee is reported to have asked police to investigate the bribery claims.

If the government had lost the vote, early elections would have been necessary.

The nuclear deal is expected to be approved by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency in the coming weeks.  India must also get approval from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group and finally from the US Congress.