JD (U) MP declares support to Confidence Vote

New Delhi, Jul 20 (UNI) The ruling UPA government received a shot in the arm when a Janata Dal (United) MP openly announced his support to the July 22 Confidence Motion in the national interest.

Breaking ranks with the party, Mr Ramswaroop Prasad, the MP from Nalanda, a constituency once represented by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, told a private television channal that he would back the Confidence vote and Indo-US Nuclear deal, as it was in national interest, irrespective of the consequences.

Mr Prasad said he had weighed the pros and cons of his action and would back the UPA's Confidence vote. ''I have nothing personal against Nitish Kumar and my actions are driven by India's interest,'' he noted.

This was the first open defection from the NDA camp after reports of absence of a couple of Shiv Sena MPs from the meeting convened by its party chief Balasaheb Thackerey in Mumbai yesterday.

UNI MCN ATI RP KP1737