Mulayam Singh, Amar Singh call on PM

The Samajwadi Party leaders meeting with Manmohan Singh assumes significance in view of speculations about the SP joining the government, reports HT Political Bureau.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and general secretary Amar Singh met the Prime Minister on Saturday. The meeting assumes significance in view of speculations about the SP joining the government.

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The two leaders had met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and yesterday, the Congress core committee had held a meeting in which Cabinet expansion was discussed.

When the government assumed charge, the formula that had been applied was every ally would get a Cabinet berth for every three-and-a-half MPs it had. The SP, the Congress’s new ally has 33 MPs, which translates to 9.4, (read nine) Cabinet berths. The problem, however, for the Congress is that it has only three vacancies.

Today’s meeting is being seen as an indication that the SP may be willing to accept Cabinet berths but both leaders refused to comment on whether it was discussed with the Prime Minister.

“This is not the right time to talk about such issues,” said Amar Singh, adding there was nothing out of the ordinary in meeting the PM. “We met him formally for the first time after winning the confidence vote and congratulated him.”