The National Democratic Alliance government sprang a surpise on the opposition on Tuesday when it managed to rope in Maneka Gandhi, former minister for social empowerment, to speak against the the no-confidence motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

No-confidence motion complete coverage

When Gandhi rose to speak, opposition members protested and said that her name did not figure in the list of the speakers submitted by the National Democratic Alliance government.

Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed said she had asked for five minutes and the same was granted to her.

In her brief speech in english, Gandhi listed the achievements of the government. She said 107 hospitals for the disabled have been set up by the government in the past four years.

"The rate of inflation has come down and foreign exchange reserves have gone up to $ 85 billion," she said.

She ended her speech thanking the leader of the opposition for providing the government the opportunity to list its achievements.