Govt not afraid of facing no-trust vote: Shinde

Amidst talk of a no-confidence motion or a vote on Foreign Direct Investment issue, the government on said that it was "not afraid" of facing any challenge in Parliament.

"We are not afraid. We have the numbers", Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who is also the Leader of the House in Lok Sabha, told PTI dismissing any threat to government in the winter session beginning Thursday.

Shinde's remarks come in the wake of plans of Trinamool Congress to move a no confidence motion against the government and the Opposition seeking to close ranks to press for a resolution on FDI in retail issue under a rule entailing voting.

"There is need for all political parties to work together when the country is facing a crisis and there are financial difficulties.

"I do not want to talk about any particular person.....We have experienced in the last session of Parliament that we could not do much business. There has been reaction in the country also. Our appeal to all is to help run the House smoothly", he said without naming any political party.

Government, he said, was prepared to respond to any issue raised by the Opposition.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, whose party has 19 members in the Lok Sabha, has announced plans to bring a no confidence motion on the opening day of the session.

55 MPs are required to support a no-confidence motion and the talk in Congress is that Banerjee may not find support among parties for her move in this regard.