New Delhi, March. 6: The Congress has killed three birds with one stone by pushing the controversial Women’s Reservation Bill. While it has isolated the Mandalite parties which have checked the Congress in the Hindi belt for over two decades,

the bill has also compelled the BJP and the Marxists to back it unconditionally .
The Congress has been defensive on the issues of statehood for Telangana and price rise for the last few months. However, this bill has exposed the ideological and strategic contradictions in Opposition unity inside and outside Parliament.
In her address to the CPP general body meeting here on March 4, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had said she personally attaches “the highest importance to the Women’s Reservation Bill. So many years have passed since Rajivji first unveiled his vision of empowering us women. It is a matter of pride that even though it has taken so long, it is our government that has cleared the legislation in Cabinet. This year March 8 is the centenary of International Women’s Day. What a gift to the women of India if on this important day this historic legislation is introduced and passed.”
The Congress will not give credit to either the BJP or the Marxists for the passage of the bill. The BJP-led NDA had failed to evolve a consensus on it when it was in power at the Centre from 1998 to 2004 whereas the Marxists were keen on international issues when they were playing the role of the “conscience keepers” of the UPA-I government.
Significantly, a division in the Janata Dal (U) on the bill has come to the fore with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar backing it and party chief Sharad Yadav opposing it. Mr Kumar, who will be facing Assembly elections in Bihar, does not want to be seen as anti-women.
A Samajwadi Party leader who did not want to be quoted blamed Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav for the isolation of the SP, RJD and JD(U) on this issue. “The SP and RJD had played politics with the help of the Congress in UP and Bihar. They had even sought the Congress’ help to come to power. Now, the Sonia Gandhi-led party is not depending on  them in these states or at the national level,” he pointed out.
According to Congress sources, the SP, JD(U) and RJD, and even the BSP, may not remain intact if they continue to oppose the Centre. Ruling party managers have started working on an alternative strategy on numbers.
The Congress had managed the numbers from 1991 to 1996, and in 2008 when the Left withdrew support to the Manmohan Singh government on the nuclear deal. At that time the SP had come out in support of the Centre while Lok Sabha members from the TDP, BJP, Shiv Sena and others deserted their parties.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Saturday hailed the statement of Mr Nitish Kumar favouring the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill. “The Congress welcomes the statement of Nitish Kumar. We hope that other parties and leaders who are opposing the bill will also modify their views and support the bill sooner or later as it is a just cause,” party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.

Venkatesh Kesari