Cut motions: Govt confident as Opposition unity cracks
The BJP and the Left parties have planned to corner the UPA Govt by moving cut motions in the Parliament today against rising prices. However, the Govt seems to be confident of surviving the challenge as the BSP and SP have indicated that they will not support the cut motions.
The BJP and the Left parties have planned to corner the UPA Govt by moving cut motions in the Parliament on Tuesday against rising prices. However, the Govt seems to be confident of surviving the challenge as Opposition's plans for a joint strategy seems to be withering away.
Amid signs that it was leaning towards the government, the BSP on Monday said that it would take a decision tomorrow on issuing a whip to its MPs over the cut motion on finance bill.
BSP sources indicated that the party is unlikely to support the cut motions being tabled by BJP and other opposition parties.
The BSP Parliamentary party will meet today to take a final decision on the issue, they said. Members of BSP remained seated in Rajya Sabha on Monday when other Opposition parties stalled the proceedings over the issue of alleged tapping of phones.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party, which is participating in a country-wide strike called by 13 parties against price rise today, has also said that it is yet to take a decision on issuing a whip.
"We will take a decision in our meeting tomorrow (on issuing whip to MPs)," SP Chief Whip Shailendra Kumar said on Monday. Both SP and BSP have 21 members each in Lok Sabha.
A cut-motion calls for cutting budgetary grant by a token one rupee to show disapproval. If the House adopts it, the government has to resign.
With no party keen to destabilise the government now, the NDA has been left to move its own separate cut motions on hiked fuel prices and decreased fertiliser subsidy.
"The government is in a comfortable position," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal.
He could claim this as the Opposition stood divided while the UPA — in a three-pronged strategy — rallied its MPs by issuing a whip, reached out to supporters and sought to persuade detractors to be absent.
The UPA has the support of 271 MPs in the 543-member House and is confident of defeating any cut motion: There were also indications that the Left would not vote with the BJP; RJD may not participate in the vote — a sign that the government had worked the backchannels.
The 13-member non-NDA, non-UPA group — which includes the Left, SP and RJD and accounts for 87 MPs — appeared more keen on Tuesday’s bandh over price rise than the cut motion.
