The Hindu Business Line : UPA leaders meet to face challenges ahead of trust vote

NEW DELHI: Ahead of a confidence vote, top UPA leaders on Friday held a strategy session here “to gear up to meet the challenges'' and expressed confidence that the Government will prove its majority in Lok Sabha.

“A special session of the Lok Sabha will be convened soon to enable us to seek a vote of confidence. I have no doubt that we shall prove our majority,'' UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said in her opening remarks at a meeting of the UPA Coordination Committ ee.

While thanking the Left parties “who have been with us during these last four years'', she said, without their support the UPA could not have been formed and a good deal of what has been achieved would not have been possible.

“Unfortunately, we could not carry them with us on the nuclear agreement despite our best efforts. While we regret their withdrawal of support, it is now time to look ahead,'' she said. Ms Gandhi had special compliments for Samajwadi Party, which has of fered support to the UPA.

“We welcome this and thank them for it,'' she said. A highlight of today's meeting was the presence of JMM MP Hemlal Murmu amidst speculation that the five-MP strong Jharkhand outfit was unhappy with the Congress after its supremo Shibu Soren was not re -inducted in the Government.

The 90-minute meeting at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence was attended among others by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his NCP counterpart Sharad Pawar, DMK's T R Baalu and Mehbooba Mufti of PDP. - PTI

Prev: Asia-Pacific blast EU decision on emissions trading
Next: "India all set for nanotechnology revolution"

Business Line | NUS Index |