Significantly, the TMC, which withdrew the support of 19 of its MPs to the government, did not not press for a vote of confidence by the government in the Lok Sabha when they met President Pranab Mukherjee.
Breaking the suspense, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had yesterday joined hands with the Left and other parties on the streets of Delhi against the government's decision to allow FDI in retail and the diesel price hike, came out with a statement totally backing to the UPA.
"Our support is clear. We will not not let communal forces come to power. That is why I am supporting. I am not not in upa. But we are supporting so that communal forces do not not make any progress," he told reporters in Delhi.
The pledge of continued support by Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the 22 MP-strong SP, "to keep the communal forces at bay" will ensure the backing of over 300 MPs to the Manmohan Singh government in the 545-member Lok Sabha.
The withdrawal of support by TMC left brought the strength of UPA and its allies to 254, 19 short of the half-way mark of 273 in the Lok Sabha that is required for a simple majority.
However, the backing of 50 MPs belonging to outside allies like SP (22) and BSP (21) takes the coalition's support to over 300. (More)
