New Delhi, April 27: Bolstered by a division in the opposition ranks, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on Monday looked firm on taking head on the cut motions moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other parties in Parliament.
Despite its dwindling strength in the Lok Sabha — in May, it had the support of 322 members, now it has 273 — the UPA feels it can survive the motions, but it would be a close call. It has the assured support of 262 members, though its floor managers pit the coalition’s strength at 274. The Congress floor managers are expecting a walkout by 21 Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members. This would make their task easy.
However, a possible clubbing of the motions moved by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Left could make it difficult for the government. The BJP and its allies have a strength of 153 MPs. Thirteen ‘non-UPA, non-NDA’ parties led by the Left have a combined strength of 88 MPs.
The government, for now, does not look worried. Its confidence was clear when prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday declined to entertain the opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Indian Premier League (IPL) controversy. Earlier in the day, the government had rejected the demand for a similar inquiry into allegations of telephone tapping.
The PM’s decision to go ahead with plans to attend the Saarc summit when his government faces a crucial test of numbers in the House also reflects the confidence of his floor managers.
“The government would go ahead with plans to face cut motions after the guillotine is issued,” Prithviraj Chavan, minister of state in the prime minister’s office, told DNA.
The government is also aware of the fact that no party is prepared to bring it downat this juncture and face an election.
The cut motions are at best aimed at embarrassing the ruling coalition.
In the absence of the PM, leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee will be in complete charge of the business in the Lok Sabha. While Manmohan Singh does not have a vote in the lower House, it is normal practice that no such motion where the government can meet with a political accident is handled in the prime minister’s absence.
The PM is scheduled to return to the capital on Friday morning. There is also a possibility that Parliament may adjourn sine-die after the budget is passed as no urgent legislative business is pending.
–Agencies–