‘We had the numbers, we were sure of a win, but there was some anxiety’

Vayalar Ravi: Last week was an important week with everybody glued to television trying to find out who would win the trust vote. It was like we were in an election mode. We were tense as well. My job was to keep the numbers. I told the party leadership that if one component of the NDA or the SP came on board, we would have no problem. Then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati came onto the scene. And CPI leader A B Bardhan announced that votes were being purchased for Rs 25 crore. I believed it. The situation was tense and people, including Congress MPs, started calling me to find out whether the rumours were true. I told them not to panic. But the tension persisted because of the horse-trading from the other side. However, we were sure of winning and so I did not want to rush things. My job was to keep the UPA united, and I think I succeeded. We had to win over MPs from the Northeast and the JMM, which we succeeded in doing. The money incident in Parliament shocked me. I was in my office then and rushed to the Lok Sabha where Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was holding an all-party meeting. But the vote went ahead and we got a comfortable majority.

•Pranab Dhal Samanta: After the three BJP MPs came into the Parliament and there was a meeting in the Speaker’s chamber, was there a feeling in the Congress camp that the vote may be postponed?

Vayalar Ravi: No. We had the numbers and we were sure of a win. But there was some anxiety. Then the Speaker took a position and told the opposition that they had made a mistake as the whole world was watching the proceedings. It was shameful for Indian politics as Parliament and democracy was ridiculed before the world. He took a strong stand on the matter and said the MPs should have gone to the police station instead. He also told Advani the same thing. Advani agreed but said that he had allowed it deliberately because circumstances demanded it.

•Pranab Dhal Samanta: Did the BJP request that the vote be postponed to another day?

Vayalar Ravi: No. They never made such a request. Going by the rules, voting had to take place. But there was not much time for people like Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Ram Vilas Paswan to speak. I suggested to the Speaker that we extend the time for the vote by one-hour. He said that the Leader of Opposition had to be consulted on this. I spoke to Advani and he agreed. The plane carrying some of their MPs had still not landed and so, they too wanted an extension.

... contd.

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