The Indo-US civilian nuclear deal was the precipitating factor that brought about this political cliffhanger - but what are the issues that have brought earlier governments to the brink? Tridivesh Singh Maini recaps the history behind the untimely demise of previous governments.

•V.P. Singh, (Prime Minister from December 1989 - November 1990) faced a trust vote in November 1990 and lost. One of his allies, the BJP withdrew support after he issued orders for the arrest of senior party leader L.K. Advani at Samastipur, Bihar on October 23, 1990 during his rath yatra to Ayodhya — the disputed site of the Ram Janambhoomi Temple. The Congress Party also voted against Singh’s government — which was facing increasing flak all over the country for tensions caused by the implementation of the Mandal Commission report.

• Chandra Shekhar, (Prime Minister from November 1990 - March 1991) resigned and did not face a trust vote because the Congress withdrew support from Shekhar’s government. The Congress accused Chandra Shekhar of placing Congress chief Rajiv Gandhi’s house under surveillance.

• H.D. Deve Gowda (June 1996- April 1997) who won a trust vote in 1996, lost the vote in April 1997 because the Congress headed by Sitaram Kesri withdrew support. While the immediate reasons listed by Sitaram Kesri were flimsy, the main reason, it is suspected, was that, the CBI headed by one of Gowda’s trusted lieutenants — Joginder Singh — was framing corruption charges against Kesri.

... contd.