Left-wing parties storm out of Indian coalition

“I don’t think it will affect the stability of our government,” Singh told reporters.

In New Delhi, Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari added the reshaped coalition “will prove that it has the numbers in the parliament.”

Singh’s administration is seen as unlikely to collapse thanks to a deal struck last week with the regional socialist Samajwadi Party.

“We have 39 MPs and we have some others who have pledged to vote with us, for the government,” Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh told reporters.

Political analyst Yashwant Deshmukh said the walkout by the left-wing parties was now largely symbolic.

“Right now with the support of the Samajwadi Party, it seems the government will last its term and the deal will also go through,” he said.

Meanwhile, the White House warned Tuesday that time was running short to ratify a landmark US-India civilian nuclear agreement during US President George W Bush’s term, which ends in January.

Speaking on the eve of Bush’s talks at the mountain resort of Toyako with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, spokeswoman Dana Perino said the US Congress had a heavy workload and “a limited number of legislative days.”