VP Singh's 11-month tenure as PM ends, coalition govt falls

HT's report on collapse of National Front govt after losing confidence vote in Parliament

The 11-month-old National Front government was on November 7, 1990, defeated in the Lok Sabha by an overwhelming majority after an 11-hour acrimonious debate during which Opposition stalwarts severely criticised Prime Minister VP Singh for allegedly bringing the country to the brink of disaster in all spheres.

Singh could muster only 142 votes, including those of the Left parties, in support of his motion seeking confidence of the House in the Council of Ministers, while the combined Opposition got 346 votes. There were eight abstentions and the total attendance was 496.

Soon after he lost the confidence vote in Lok Sabha, PM Singh sent in the resignation of his Cabinet to President R Venkataraman by a special courier, according to labour minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The process of consultations with different political party leaders on the government formation is expected to begin in a few days.

The fate of the National Front government was decided by a division. Dissatisfied with the voice vote, finance minister Madhu Dandavate demanded a division and saw the government decisively defeated.

As soon as Speaker Rabi Ray announced the result of the division and declared that the confidence motion moved by the PM had fallen, there was heavy thumping of desks by the Congress-I and the BJP members.