Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh on Tuesday promised that he would deliver 41 lawmakers in support of the United Progressive Alliance.
Coverage: An Alliance in Crisis
Speaking to media persons outside his Lodhi Estate residence at New Delhi on Tuesday, Singh alleged that at least 6 MPs were being held captive at the Uttar Pradesh Bhavan.
He, however, did not say who was responsible for this.
He said that MPs allegedly held captive were Ateeq Ahmed, Munawar Hassan and four other independents.
Reports suggested that 6 SP MPs had crossed over. However, these are six persons the reports were trying to suggest, he said, adding that Ahmed and Hassan were rebels since a long time and were not members of the SP any longer.
He also said National Loktantrik Party leader Baleshwar Yadav and BJP rebel Bhushan Saran Singh had reached New Delhi and were with him at present. He said this had made up for the SP rebels.
It may be recalled that when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had met President Pratibha Patil on July 9, Singh has claimed that though Baleshwar belonged to the NLP, he would vote in favour of the UPA.
"Baleshwar Yadav is basically of Samajwadi Party origin," Singh had said then.
Singh said the SP had delivered more than what the party had promised to the UPA. It had earlier pledged the support of 39 MPs, but is now giving the government 41 MPs to vote in the confidence motion later this evening
When asked to explain the numbers, Singh said along with the 35 confirmed SP MPs, Yadav and Saran Singh make it 37. I cannot reveal the names of the other four right now, he said.
When asked specifically whether the four MPs were from the Bahujan Samaj Party and whether there would be cross-voting, Singh said, "Do not put words into my mouth. You have just said what I wanted to say."
Prior to him addressing the media, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav held a close-door meeting with Singh.
