M A I N   N E W S

Lalu, Mulayam withdraw support
All-party meeting today
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Number game If UPA loses 23 MPs of SP and four of RJD, it would sit on a wafer-thin majority of 274 in the Lok Sabha - one more than the half way mark of 273 in a 543-member House. With this fragile composition, it would not be able to push the Finance Bill, to which BJP and Left are already opposed and have vowed to bring cut motions. Naturally, the UPA would prefer the SP-RJD buffer.

Mayawati matters Another challenge arises from BSP’s silence. With her 21 MPs in Lok Sabha, Mayawati is opposing the Bill though she has not yet threatened action if the law goes through. But Mayawati may well find herself under pressure to send a pro-Dalit, pro-minority message if Mulayam were to actually withdraw support to UPA. If BSP goes, the government could be in real trouble.

New Delhi, March 8
A determined Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Janata Dal combine today jolted the UPA out of action on the controversial Women’s Reservation Bill and withdrew support to the coalition if the law got ahead in its present form. The parties are yet to make a formal reference of withdrawal of support to the President.

Just when the news came that the government was preparing to put the Bill to vote in the Rajya Sabha, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav made a combined appearance outside the Parliament and announced retraction of outside support to government, saying they won’t allow “political robbery” in the name of reservation.

“We withdraw support to the government. They can’t pass the Bill without discussing it. We are not against this law but we must ensure it serves those who actually need reservation. The government is trying to thrust the law by wielding a lathi. We won’t allow this. Even the Congressmen are against the Bill but can’t utter a word against Sonia Gandhi,” said Lalu.

Slamming the legislation as anti-minority, anti-OBC and anti-Dalit, Lalu and Mulayam accused the Congress, BJP and Left of using the Bill to serve their political interests and isolate the “real, impoverished India which lives in villages”. They said that the reservation limit should be enhanced to 50 per cent, provided justice is done to minorities.

With the socialist parties playing their trump card, the government was quick to let its steam off on the issue, considering serious political fallout of the RJD-SP move. An all-party meeting could be convened tomorrow to discuss the issue.

The UPA minus SP and RJD would have 289 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha.