WRAPUP 2-India coalition looks for votes after left exit

* Government tries to secure parliamentary support

* Left formally withdraws support, calls for vote

* Singh and Bush meet to discuss nuclear deal

By Alistair Scrutton

NEW DELHI, July 9 (Reuters) - India's government began on Wednesday the hard task of cobbling together votes to survive a no-confidence motion after the withdrawal of its communist allies in protest against a nuclear deal with the United States.

Communist parties, which provided the government with a parliamentary majority for the last four years, formally told India's president on Wednesday they had ended their support and requested a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The withdrawal has left Prime Minister Manmohan Singh needing other parties to ensure his ruling coalition survives and escapes an early election, as well as finalising the nuclear deal.

The government, led by Singh's Congress party, believes it has enough votes after securing the backing of the regional Samajwadi Party, but the vote could be close.

"The taste of the pudding is in the eating," Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee was quoted as saying in local media when asked if the government had enough lawmakers.