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.

... contd.