Congress- BJP both claiming victory on the day of voting on No Confidance Motion

New Delhi: Even as the Government expressed confidence of defeating the no confidence motion moved in Lok Sabha by TDP on Wednesday, former Congress president and chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi refuted the view that the opposition does not have the numbers.

"Who says we don't have the numbers?," Mrs Gandhi told a TV channel when pointed out that the opposition lacked the numbers in the Lok Sabha.The No Confidence motion moved by TDP member Kesineni Srinivas was on Wednesday accepted for debate in the Lok Sabha.

Making the announcement, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would fix the day and time for debate at a later stage.On its part, the Government has expressed confidence of defeating the no confidence motion.

Earlier on Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government is ready to face the no-confidence move and win it as it enjoys a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha.Mrs Gandhi's comments came even as the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest body, is expected to meet later in the week to discuss strategy in Parliament.

Govt confident of defeating no confidence motion with big margin: Ananth Kumar

New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) The government on Wednesday asserted that the BJP-led ruling dispensation will give a befitting response to the Opposition's No Confidence motion and said an united NDA will 'defeat' it with big margin and take the motion to its logical end.

"NDA ek jut ho kar, is Avishwas Prastav ki gala ghot degi (An united NDA will virtually take the opposition parties' motion of No Confidence to its logical end)," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

"Hum mooh tod jawab denge (We will give a befitting response)," he said and asserted that in addition to all the NDA allies who are rock solid behind the government  - "even non NDA parties will be voting against the motion".

However, the Minister skirted any direct reply on whether the BJP has tried to reach out to parties like Biju Janata Dal of Naveen Patnaik and AIADMK and merely said, "it is too early to comment on these".(UNI)