Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati has expressed confidence that the United Progressive Alliance government would not survive the trust vote on July 22.
Mayawati, who has emerged as the leader of the third front, told a press conference on Monday morning that the UPA lacked the requisite numbers to win the trust vote.
Mayawati, who is being projected as the prime minister-in-waiting, said that her discussion with several leaders of the third front had yielded positive results.
Join the rediff Trust Vote discussion
There was a conscious effort by like-minded parties to topple the UPA government, she said.
The BSP supremo also warned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against going ahead with the India-United States nuclear agreement.
Claiming that the deal was a step to make India a 'slave' of the United States, she said the country should hold its head high to safeguard its interests.
Also Read: The Indo-US Nuclear Deal
"The government and the prime minister should not make the deal a prestige issue. They should suspend the deal for the time being. Elections are near. Let the next government take a decision on it," she said.
She noted that the deal would also 'hamper' the $7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project as the US was acting against Tehran in a 'dangerous' manner.
She also demanded that the US should support India's demand for a permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council.
Also Read: An Alliance in Crisis
