Small MPs at `receiving` end of UPA generosity

For Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the trust vote is a prestige issue, party insiders say. But despite this, party managers are gloomy, for the best-case scenario is that the government will just about scrape through in the trust vote. "Even if we win, it will be with a very thin majority," said a senior Congress minister.  The date for the trust vote was chosen with care. Originally, the vote was to have been scheduled for July 18-19, as the government was anxious to get it over with. However, it was put off because five (now) ruling coalition MPs are in jail and the process to get them to the Lok Sabha to vote could present unexpected challenges.  The procedure is: the sentencing court has to give the government permission to seek bail, after which the MP is brought to the House and once voting is complete, returned to prison.  If, however, the MP's counsel says the MP does not want bail and the judge upholds his right not to seek bail, the government has to appeal against the judgment. This delay can create scheduling difficulties