The Left walks out over a nuclear deal — and the government survives by 19 votes

The Left Front — the CPI(M) and its allies — had supported Manmohan Singh's UPA government from outside since 2004 without joining it, giving it the numbers for a majority. Its objection to a civil nuclear cooperation agreement the government was pursuing with the United States hardened through 2008, and on 8 July 2008 the Left formally withdrew its support, over Singh's decision to press ahead and approach the International Atomic Energy Agency regardless.

With its majority gone, the government faced a confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. The Samajwadi Party, previously in opposition, agreed to back the government instead, and the vote — held on 22 July 2008 — passed 275 to 256, a majority of 19.

The vote was overshadowed by allegations that some MPs had been paid to vote for the government or abstain — several Bharatiya Janata Party MPs displayed bundles of cash in the House during the debate, saying they'd been offered the money to support the government — which became known as the “cash-for-votes” scandal and led to a long-running criminal case, though it did not change the vote's outcome. The nuclear deal itself was finalised later that year.