The Congress’ gameplan was that a whip would be issued to all 33 Congress MLAs (the 26 who were loyal to Tuki and the seven remaining rebels) to vote for the government in a trial of strength on the floor of the Assembly. If the seven MLAs defied the whip, they would stand to be disqualified since their numbers do not add up to one-third of the total strength of the party in the House and that would have brought the strength of the Assembly down to 40. It would then be smooth sailing during a trial of strength for the Congress government with its 26 MLAs.