TMC's exit may not worry UPA as Mulayam lends support

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has hinted at continuing giving outside support to the UPA saying he does not want 'communal forces' to come to power, giving the Manmohan Singh regime a reason to smile. The UPA government, which has been reduced to a minority after the Trinamool Congress decided to withdraw its support, can safely cross the half-way mark in the Lok Sabha with Samajwadi Party's support.

Mulayam indirectly made it clear that he won't support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "We are giving support to the Congress so as not to allow the communal forces to come to power," Mulayam said on Friday.

Also read: Jairam Ramesh likely to be Railway Minister

When asked about his reactions to the government's policies, Mulayam said he was against the government's policies, but wanted to keep 'criminal forces' at bay. "We are against the policies of Congress. We are not in UPA, but we support them to keep criminal forces away," Mulayam said.

However, Mulayam also endorsed a Third front for the next elections. "The third front will win next elections. Who will lead the Third front will be decided later," Mulayam said.

While Mulayam seems to have come to the UPA's rescue for now, sources say that the Congress is readying a back-up plan and reaching out to smaller parties.

Sources say the Congress will play the secular card and reach out to the JD(U) and the BJD. Sources say the Congress will also reach out to YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and the Left for support and to make sure these parties do not vote against the government.

Sources have told CNN-IBN that the government is ready for a trust vote, but a special session is unlikely. The trust vote may only happen in the winter session of Parliament.

The Numbers

All eyes will now be on how the UPA gathers more numbers. With the TMC formally withdrawing support, UPA-II will now have just 254 MPs, lower than the half way mark. If Mayawati's BSP decides to support the UPA, its strength in the Lok Sabha will go up to 275.

If Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party decides to support, the UPA's strength will go up to 276, five more than the half way mark of 271.

And if both parties bail out the government, then the UPA will be comfortable at 297. Add to that another four MPs of the RJD and the UPA safely crosses the 300 mark.