New Delhi (PTI): With small groups and independents maintaining suspense on which way they will vote, a senior Union Minister on Friday said "fence sitters" will side with secular parties and claimed that the government enjoyed support of 276 MPs.

"We are confident of getting 276 votes and expect even five more," LJP Chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told reporters here.

The UPA government needs 271 votes to win the trust vote on July 22.

Declining to go into details, he said UPA had more numbers in its favour than opposition NDA.

To a question, he said the UPA ally JMM, would support the government.

JMM, with five MPs, is bargaining for a cabinet berth for its chief Sibu Soren and has set certain conditions for supporting the government.

"The result of the trust vote will be in favour of the government. The government is stable and will remain stable after the confidence vote," he said.

Paswan, who is back after attending the fifth International Convention of Dalits and Minorities Forum in New York early this month, said a 16-member action committee has been constituted to fulfil the objectives of the declaration adopted there. Two MPs, a Delhi MLA and three former MPs are members of the committee headed by Paswan.

The declaration focuses on elimination of untouchability, provision of free and quality education and restoration of human rights of dalits and minorities, besides reservation in jobs in the private sector.