The ruling alliance’s balance sheet threw up no clear winners — 266 behind the UPA and seven fence-sitters in a House of 542 — but the partners cheered up somewhat after a dinner that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted at the Ashok Hotel. UPA crisis managers claimed that “promises” had come from over a dozen MPs from the Opposition camp. National Conference chief Omar Abdullah did not turn up for the dinner though the UPA managers said not much should be read into it.

But clearly, the day had not exactly gone the UPA way. Shortly after JMM chief Shibu Soren declared the support of his five MPs — he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi this morning — the ruling combine received a rude jolt when the 3-MPs RLD led by Ajit Singh switched sides, announcing that it would oppose the UPA during the trust vote. So sure had the government been of RLD support that at a Cabinet meeting last week it even decided to name Lucknow airport after Ajit Singh’s father, the late Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Within hours of the RLD U-turn, the JD(S), also with three MPs, declared it too would oppose the trust vote. Just like Ajit Singh, JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda announced his decision after meeting Mayawati who had a busy day in the Capital, chalking out plans with UNPA and Left leaders over lunch at TDP leader Yerran Naidu’s residence.

“We all met with just one agenda — to topple the UPA government during the July 22 trust vote,” declared Mayawati, flanked by Left and UNPA leaders at Naidu’s residence. CPM general secretary Prakash Karat too spoke the same language: “We don’t want this government to stay beyond July 22.” They also agreed to meet on July 23 to chalk out their future strategy.

The UPA was also counting on two JD(U) MPs, including Ram Swarup Prasad (Nalanda) and P P Koya (Lakshadweep), who claimed they would back the ruling combine. Another JD(U) MP, Kunwar Sarvraj Singh from Aonla (UP), was also said to be in touch with the Congress. BJP MP from Balrampur (UP) Brij Bhushan Singh also declared his support for the UPA at a press conference at SP leader Amar Singh’s residence. SP sources claimed that “at least 2 BSP MPs” were negotiating with them.

Bodo MP SK Biswamuthiary’s presence at the Ashok Hotel dinner also lifted UPA morale as did the presence of Brij Bhushan Singh.

There were also reports that some Shiv Sena MPs were negotiating with the Congress. Ruling party sources claimed four to five Sena MPs were in touch with the Congress and there was “some certainty” about two — Parbhani MP Tukaram Ganpatrao Renge Patil and Osmanabad MP Kalpana Ramesh.

But the JD(S) and RLD moves had clearly upset UPA calculations. AICC general secretary Prithviraj Chavan, one of the UPA’s crisis managers, put up a brave front this evening, claiming the ruling combine already had “over 271 MPs” and efforts were on to create a “buffer stock” of MPs which would take the overall figures of the UPA over 280.

His negotiations with the BJP making no headway, JMM chief Soren met Sonia Gandhi and pledged the support of all five party MPs. In exchange, the UPA was said to have promised the coveted Coal Ministry and a MoS portfolio to the JMM. “We will vote for the UPA. I have been promised the Coal Ministry I held and one Minister of State,” Soren said after meeting the Prime Minister along with the other four party MPs. He did not, however, say which one of them would be the MoS if the government survives.

Gowda, who had met the PM yesterday, switched positions after Mayawati called on him at his Safdarjung Lane residence. “All 3 MPs of JD(S) will vote against the trust motion on July 22. We were waiting for the right time to take a decision,” Gowda said. The JD(S) revoked the suspension of rebel party MP Veerendra Kumar who had been consistently opposing any tie up with the UPA. Congress sources, however, claimed ruling party managers were in touch with M Shivanna, one of the three JD(S) MPs who is said to be in favour of going with the UPA.

Although details of what transpired between the BSP and the RLD were not clear, there were indications that the Mayawati had promised a pre-poll alliance with the RLD in the Lok Sabha elections, ministerial berths to RLD MLAs in UP and reservation for “Jats” — one of the many demands Ajit Singh had placed before the Congress.

“I was always saying that this trust vote has nothing to do with the nuclear deal. It is about when elections will be held and what kind of alliance will be firmed up,” said Ajit Singh. But there were rumblings in the RLD as well because Bijnore MP Munsi Ram was said to be unhappy with the party’s dalliance with the BSP.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan briefed UPA partners on the nuclear deal and the safeguards agreement this evening ahead of the PM’s dinner for MPs as the government geared itself for the debate starting tomorrow.

From among the young Congress MPs, Rahul Gandhi and Sachin Pilot will take part in the debate. The ruling UPA has a list of about a dozen speakers including Lalu Prasad Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and Sharad Pawar.