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Defiant TMC leaves govt with no choice
Anita Katyal
Our Political Correspondent

New Delhi, December 29
There was feverish behind-the-scene activity in the run-up to the dramatic conclusion of the Rajya Sabha debate on the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill today as the UPA government made desperate attempts to reach out to its allies and other supporting parties to help in the passage of the anti-graft legislation.

Ultimately, the fate of the Bill depended on two women — Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP president Mayawati —whose combined strength of 24 members proved to be a gamer changer.

Consequently, day-long attempts were made to bring around key ally Mamata Banerjee who played spoilsport with her firm opposition to the Bill which, she asserted, encroaches on the powers of state governments to draft their own anti-corruption laws.

Her party moved three amendments seeking the deletion of all references to the establishment of lokayuktas in states. Ironically, Mamata Banerjee found herself on the same side of her bete noire - the Left parties - which also moved similar amendments.

Discomfited by the TMC’s stand, the Congress-led UPA government was further pushed into a corner when these amendments were also supported by the BJP, the AIADMK, the Biju Janata Dal and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). To make matters worse, Trinamool Congress MPs were huddled together with BJP members through the day as they openly coordinated floor strategy.

In a House of 243 members, the UPA has 97 members, which includes six Trinamool Congress members. This is way off the half-way mark of 122 members. Consequently, the role of the 27 members of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was critical to the final outcome of the vote. If they were to walk out, as they did in the Lok Sabha, they could help the UPA inch past the half-way mark with the help of independent and nominated members as it would bring down the strength of the House to 216. Alternatively, they could even ensure the defeat of the Bill if they were to vote against it.

All these scenarios were discussed over three meetings by the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress core group in the Prime Minister’s Parliament House office. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra to seek their support. Mukherjee also called up Mamata Banerjee to dissuade her from pressing for a vote on her amendments. She, however, remained unmoved. The BSP and RJD were non-committal as they too kept the government on tenterhooks till the very last.

The corridors of Parliament were abuzz with excitment as the day progressed and the suspense over the vote built up. Congress leaders privately admitted that if they were unable to push through the Bill, it would be politically advantageous if it is defeated so that they could then pin the blame on the the opposition for scuttling an anti-corruption law. The government was not in favour of referring the Bill to a Parliamentary committee since it would keep the Lokpal debate alive and help the BJP in the coming assembly elections.