ON WHICH SIDE IS THE GRASS GREENER?

IF UNFOLDING developments in the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party camps are any indication, it appears to be the return of ?aaya ram gaya ram? era in Uttar Pradesh. A fluid situation (if not uncertainty) persists on political the horizons with both the SP and BSP making claims and counter claims about the status of 40 BSP MLAs. As they continue to switch loyalties like the changing colours of a chameleon, the State continues to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. That unfolding developments would be interesting to watch in the days to come, becomes evident from what may be termed behind-the-scenes operations and even manipulations going on in the corridors of power. As yet, there is no official word about the status of ministers who had tendered their resignations to Governor TV Rajeswar early this week. By retaining his estranged colleagues, the Chief Minister obviously wants to keep his doors open to those who have ditched him and his party at this crucial juncture.

This seems to be the rationale of the fence-sitters in the group of 40 defectors, on whom hinges the fate of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Govt. So are ‘The 40 MLAs’ in BSP or in SP?

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IF UNFOLDING developments in the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party camps are any indication, it appears to be the return of ‘aaya ram gaya ram’ era in Uttar Pradesh.

A fluid situation (if not uncertainty) persists on political the horizons with both the SP and BSP making claims and counter claims about the status of 40 BSP MLAs. As they continue to switch loyalties like the changing colours of a chameleon, the State continues to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

That unfolding developments would be interesting to watch in the days to come, becomes evident from what may be termed behind-the-scenes operations and even manipulations going on in the corridors of power. As yet, there is no official word about the status of ministers who had tendered their resignations to Governor TV Rajeswar early this week. By retaining his estranged colleagues, the Chief Minister obviously wants to keep his doors open to those who have ditched him and his party at this crucial juncture.

This also constantly puts on test the political acumen of Chief Minister and the BSP chief Mayawati. Besides deputing his young brother, PWD and Energy Minister Shiv Pal Singh and some other ministers to launch operation damage control, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav himself is keeping in touch with the disgruntled lot. He reportedly even went to the residence of Minister of State for Programme Implementation Veerendra Singh Bundela, considered to be next in line of deserters. On the other hand, BSP chief Mayawati too rushed to Lucknow making an obvious bid to bring back to her party fold the group of defectors. Her party colleagues are also in touch with the rebel group, persuading them to befriend the BSP.

In such a scenario, the defectors have changed their loyalties more than twice in the last three days. All eyes would now be set on members of the 40 BSP MLA group in Vidhan Sabha that is scheduled to meet on Wednesday. Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey has only given an interim order deciding to continue with existing seating arrangement for the 40-member group in Vidhan Sabha. Barring the interim order, there is no official word about status of other MLAs who have already aligned with BSP, though the Samajwadi Party has sought their disqualification.

A close look at the list of 38 of 40 BSP MLAs-group indicates that many of them were in touch with Bahujan Samaj Party. A few of them have already come out in the open, while many others continue to indulge in hard bargaining with leaders of both parties switching loyalties, shifting sides like a swinging pendulum.

A day after the HC’s verdict, there were dramatic developments on political horizons when four MLAs of the group including Minister of State for Health Jaiveer Singh, Minister of State for Food Surendra Vikram Singh and Chairman UP Poultry and Livestock Limited Dharam Pal Singh (minister’s rank) went to Raj Bhawan to tender their resignation from their respective ministerial posts. The ministers in their letters said it was not morally possible for them to continue as ministers in the post-HC verdict scenario that they claimed had made them members of the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Another MLA Ramji Shukla accompanied the group urging the Governor that the group be allocated separate seats in the Vidhan Sabha.

The next day, the Samajwadi Party produced 29 out of 40 MLAs group before the media to assert that the majority of the group was with SP. There was no threat to the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, said SP leaders. Another MLA of group Ram Krishna holding position of Chairman UPDESCO also went to Raj Bhawan to inform the Governor about his resignation to rejoin the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Significantly, Jaiveer Singh who was first among ministers to rejoin the BSP, was seen in the Samajwadi Party camp on Thursday. Singh, however, switched sides yet again on Friday, claiming that he would remain with the BSP come what may. The Samajwadi Party leaders, however, pooh-pooh Jaiveer Singh’s claims and assert that Singh continued to be with the Samajwadi Party.

If viewed in the backdrop of reports that some ministers including Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya accompanied by Rajendra Singh Rana Ram Govind Chaudhary and MLA Dhananjay Singh went to Jaiveer Singh’s residence to win over their estranged colleagues, BSP chief Mayawati’s assertions that memories of June 1995 incidents were coming alive, gain credence.

Mayawati has even questioned the role of Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, who she said was “twisting” the HC verdict. She has already taken the issue to Raj Bhawan. The BSP would move court against the Speaker if the Governor failed to dismiss the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in the next four to five days, said Mayawati giving indications that the issue may remain caught in another round of legal wrangling.

The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a petition filed by group of BSP MLAs seeking a stay on operation of the Allahabad High Court’s order quashing orders of Speaker dated September 6, 2003, September 8, 2003 and September 7, 2005. If unfolding political developments fail to precipitate in favour of any of the two parties, the prevailing situation may continue till the Vidhan Sabha elections. So far defecting MLAs continue to enjoy the best of both the SP and BSP.

So what happens to the 10th Schedule, incorporated in the Constitution to check immoral and unprincipled defections. While the legality of defections in the backdrop of constitutional provisions for disqualification of defecting MLAs remains a point to ponder, legislators have, however, taken advantage of lacunae of the ‘bulk defection’ in the anti defection laws interpreting them in their own way to justify their stand.

As a consequence another amendment has been made in the 10th Schedule by deleting provisions that allowed ‘bulk defection’, if defection was effected by one third of members of the political party.