UPA tally jumps to 314 as BSP, SP, some others extend support

New Delhi, May 19: UPA's tally in the new Lok Sabha jumped by 53 today to reach 314, far above the majority mark in the 545-member Lok Sabha, as it received unexpected bonus in the form of support from BSP as also from Samajwadi Party besides some other groups and independents.
BSP and SP, the two bitter rivals in Uttar Pradesh which fought elections against Congress in UP and elsewhere, pledged their support saying that they want to strengthen secular forces and to keep BJP out.

SP has 23 and BSP 21 members in the House in which the UPA coalition has secured 261 seats on its own.

Besides these two parties, RJD with four MPs and JD(S) with three MPs also conveyed their support to Congress-led UPA. Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), whose lone member Babulal Marandi, a former BJP leader, was elected also extended its support to UPA.

Ghulam Hassan Khan, who won the elections from Ladakh as an Independent, too pledged his support.

First, BSP supremo Mayawati announced her party's support at the start of a meeting with her party leaders, saying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed her as "younger sister" and urged her to adopt a positive attitude towards formation of UPA government to strengthen secular forces.

She said BSP's National Executive and Parliamentary Board, which met this morning, took the decision on giving unconditional support to the government from outside. PTI