Maya ‘wins’ quota tussle, isolates SP
BSP supremo Mayawati appeared Thursday to have won the first round in the battle for quotas for SC/STs in government job promotions, isolating the Samajwadi Party, her Uttar Pradesh arch rival, in the Rajya Sabha and compelling the Congress and BJP to support the legislation.
A day after raising this aggressively, Ms Mayawati proved no major party could afford to oppose the bill as it would send the wrong message to backwards. SC/STs constitute the Congress’ political constituency across the country. While they might not back it wholly in UP and Bihar, the party has support among backwards in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states.
While Congress leaders say the party is committed to reservation and social justice, OBCs do not constitute its core constituency.
BJP leaders too concede they don’t want to be seen as “anti-reservation” in the middle of the Gujarat polls. A senior NDA leader said: “Next year we face Assembly elections in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and other states. An anti-reservation stance could help the Congress.”
If the national parties opposed this bill, it would have given Ms Mayawati more political space outside Uttar Pradesh. But support by the Congress and BJP may check the BSP outside UP.
The Samajwadi Party, despite its isolation on this issue, made it clear it would continue supporting the Manmohan Singh government. This was made clear after the Rajya Sabha took up the Constitution amendment bill amid high drama on Thursday afternoon. “There is no relation between today’s event in the Rajya Sabha and continuance of our support,” SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters outside Parliament House. The SP has nine Rajya Sabha members.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier spoke to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in a bid to get his support on the controversial issue. Mr Ram Gopal Yadav was also present at this meeting.
High drama was witnessed in the Upper House when two SP members were ordered to leave the House for causing disruptions over the quota bill, leading to arguments and counter-arguments before the party walked out. Trouble started just before the bill was moved by minister of state for personnel V. Narayanasamy, in the third such attempt in the past four days.
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