Indian MPs paid for India-US nuclear deal: Wikileaks

WikiLeaks revealed that payoffs were made to Indian MPs to get a majority in the confidence vote over the India-US nuclear deal.Whistleblower site WikiLeaks has published details of a conversation between Nachiketa Kapur, a close aide of Indian federal lawmaker Satish Sharma and a US Embassy official, about a $9 million payment made by the government to members of a regional political party to secure support during a crucial confidence vote in the Parliament.The exposé has triggered a major political storm, with lawmakers and opposition leaders slamming the Congress-party led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government for undermining the democratic principles of the country.Facing scathing criticism over the issue, the Congress top brass went into a damage control mode in the national parliament earlier in the day, refusing to deny or confirm the allegations.According to the leaked cable, Kapur is alleged to have stated that four lawmakers belonging to the regional Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) party had been paid 100 million rupees ($2.2 million) each in order to secure their support for the government during the parliamentary voting session.However, stung by the allegations leveled against them, both Sharma and Kapur vehemently defended themselves on the simmering row, asserting they had not indulged in horse-trading of lawmakers.