Winners and losers of the confidence vote

Manmohan Singh has little to rejoice about after having survived a confidence vote marred by bribery allegations inside and outside the parliament. However significant yesterday’s victory might be for the new UPA coalition, in May next year, when the government and opposition will have to face the entire nation, it will be a very different story. Then it will be harder to buy and trade votes.

What emerged quite clearly from yesterday’s parliamentary session is that the confidence vote had very little to do with the civilian nuclear deal with the US and the fate of India’s resilient people. What we witnessed in the Lok Sabha – the parliament – was a battle of egos, not of ideas. So the biggest loser in yesterday’s vote are the people.