Energy demands rattle the Indian government

New Delhi: Energy issues are rattling the Indian political system, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being asked to resign over his proposed nuclear deal with the US.

The communists withdrew support of the deal this month, forcing the government to seek a vote of confidence in the Indian Parliament, a motion for which was tabled by Singh on Monday.

The Indian communists insist that they do not want any substantive ties with Washington.

If Singh wins the confidence vote, he says that his government would push through all the pending reforms as well as the nuclear deal. Otherwise, he would resign.