Chandigarh, July 17 (IANS) The ruling Akali Dal in Punjab is likely to issue a whip to its members of parliament to vote against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the crucial vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha on July 22. Senior Akali Dal leader and former central minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that all eight MPs will be issued a whip to vote against the Manmohan Singh government. The whip is likely to be issued in the next day or two.

Though the Akalis have not said a single word against the Indo-US nuclear deal, the party has decided to go with alliance partner BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) despite pressure from various quarters to save the government led by the first Sikh prime minister in the country.