India: Hindu nationalist government faces confidence vote

A loose coalition of left-wingers and centrists said it was ready to replace India's minority Hindu nationalist government which faces imminent defeat in a confidence vote this week. The head of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) acknowledged his party's government would probably lose the vote but added that fresh elections "were only a matter of time".

The government-in-waiting, the United Front alliance, held inconclusive talks on the minimum policies acceptable to all its constituents. Front spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said that a policy-making committee of the alliance had prepared for the defeat of the BJP government and the formation of a Front government. Reuter - New Delhi