When the brief two-day Winter Session of the UP Assembly that begins on Monday — also the last Assembly session convened by this government, UP chief minister Mayawati will, perhaps, face the most crucial test of her four-and-a-half-year regime.
For the first time in this regime, the Mayawati government is likely to face a no-confidence motion with both the Samajwadi Party and the BJP planning to move separate motions against the government.
Interestingly, though the opposition does not have the numbers needed to get the no-confidence motion passed, it is relying on the disgruntled legislators within the BSP to cause embarrassment to the Mayawati government.
The chief minister has suspended and/or denied tickets to nearly four dozen MLAs in her party and the Opposition believes that these legislators have no reason to support the BSP government anymore.
The Opposition’s announcement of a no-confidence motion is not designed to topple the Mayawati government but aims at serving a political purpose — that of putting the chief minister on the defensive.
“Our announcement is bound to make her jittery because she knows that her government is now in a minority. The idea is to put her under pressure and also expose her before the people,” said a senior SP leader refusing to disclose their strategy on the issue.
The chief minister could also face trouble when she tables the resolution for four-way split of Uttar Pradesh since the Samajwadi Party and the BJP have decided to oppose it vehemently. The resolution will lose its credibility if it is not passed by a two-thirds majority and the Opposition would love to take the wind out of the sails on this issue.
The UP government is also likely to face embarrassing moments over the unexpected revolt by former minister Babu Singh Kushwaha.
who enjoys a sizeable following among BSP MLAs.
The allegations levelled by Mr Kushwaha against his senior colleague and two bureaucrats could be issued by the opposition to corner the beleaguered government on the eve of elections.