NEW DELHI: BSP chief Mayawati on Monday left the Congress hungering for more by strongly indicating that she might not support the Opposition's resolution opposing the decision to let in global supermarket chains. Her hint encouraged the Congress to lobby her to upgrade her support to side with the government during the crucial headcount in the Rajya Sabha.
Sources said the government has clearly told Mayawati that her abstention in a situation where government is found to be short of numbers would equal voting against the government. "In case you don't wish to support the Opposition-sponsored resolution, then you might as well vote against us. What difference will it make whether we lose by eight or 20 votes?" UPA sources quoted a senior UPA functionary telling the BSP chief.
Sources also disclosed that parleys were on with Mayawati to persuade the BSP supremo to turn her indirect assistance into open support for the government in the Rajya Sabha where, unlike in the lower House, mere abstentions by BSP and SP won't be enough for the government to dodge the embarrassment of a defeat.
'BSP won't back BJP in House'
BSP chief Mayawati did not spell out her intent to come to the government's assistance in whichever way on the retail FDI vote in the House, but dropped enough hints to indicate that her party may not vote with the opposition in Parliament despite her professed opposition to the FDI decision. She did articulate reservations about allowing the global retail giants.
But Mayawati appreciated that implementation of the decision has been left for the states: an argument that is also the government's principal defence against the Opposition's campaign. She said that BSP would decide its stance on voting after listening to government's response on safeguards against the dangers that local retailers and farmers could face after the arrival of big global retail chains. Mayawati said the government should order time-bound assessment of effects of FDI in Congress-ruled states that have agreed to implement the policy.
More importantly, she said that BSP, while working out its stance, will have to reckon with whether it should side with "communal parties" (read: BJP-led NDA). "BSP cannot stand with BJP and company and send a message that it was working to strengthen the communal forces," she amplified in what could be melody for Congress's ears.
However, she was resisting government's pitch that BSP vote with the government by citing "political reasons": a reference to the embarrassment in supporting a decision that she vigorously opposed till recently. The absence of BSP and SP will reduce Rajya Sabha's effective strength to 220 on the day of reckoning, leaving the Opposition with a wafer-thin edge.
The anti-FDI column has 110 votes, pushing the government in a situation where absence of even one of its members, for instance, Sachin Tendulkar, who is unlikely to make it because of the Kolkata test with England, can lead to a politically embarrassing defeat.
BSP with 15 members can tilt the scales decisively for the government by aligning itself with UPA on the day of the vote later this week. To nudge her to cast her neutrality, Congress is likely to build up on its argument that a vote against the government would amount to voting with the "communal BJP".
Maya gives Congress hope of rescue in RS on FDI vote
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Maya gives Congress hope of rescue in RS on FDI vote
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Maya gives Congress hope of rescue in RS on FDI vote
