Countdown UPA: 3 days to go, 14 short of majority

CHECK MATE: The UPA stands at 258, which is 14 short of the majority mark of 272.

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Keywords: Left, Upa

New Delhi: Small parties have never had it as big. So who stands where in the crucial head count in the lead up to the trust vote on July 22? A check on the figures:

The UPA stands at 258, which is 14 short of the majority mark of 272.

The worry for the Government is not only to gain more MPs from smaller parties and independents but also ensure there are no frights of rebellion in its own ranks.

Left plus BJP plus BSP plus sizeable others make it an impressive 264.. This means that to cross the half-way mark of 271, the Government still needs the support of 14 more MPs.

Where will they come from?

The survival of the Government now depends on the 20 MPs who have not yet decided on their stand.

These include five MPs of Shibu Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, three Independents and three MPs from Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal.

National Conference and JD(S) with two MPs each are also in the undecided category. Giving them company are Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, 1 MP of the Mizo National Front and 1 MP of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.

That's not all. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is also non-committal.

In the event of a tie, his vote will decide if Manmohan Singh Government falls or survives.